Fighting it Tooth and Nail
by Capp'n
Summary: Alice & Edward fall in love, leaving Jasper angry and confused. Just then, he stumbles upon a werewolf and decides to vent that anger. But she feels a bond, the one she's been hoping for, and now is prepared to fight, tooth and nail.
1. Alice and Edward

**Edward's POV**

"I like her." Alice claimed, dancing toward me as soon as I came in the door. She was so graceful and elegant that I couldn't stand it. That's the kind of girl I needed. Someone different and girly and sweet.

Bella Swan was all of those things. But she was human...and dreadfully clumsy. I caught myself wanted to smack her when she tripped over every possible obstacle in her path. Look where you're going already! But Alice wasn't like that.

She was perfect. But she was Jasper's. And the worst part was that he knew how I felt about her and I knew that he thought I had absolutely no chance.

"You do?" I finally acknowledged her words, although they caused a lump in my throat. "Yeah, me too." I lied.

She narrowed her eyes. "Edward. She's nice enough, but the future I'm seeing isn't good. You won't be happy with her."

"How would you know?" I snarled.

"Because I can see it."

My heart dropped. Obviously, her seeing it meant that I would take Bella as a mate. She was the most interesting girl that I could find to replace Alice. Because Alice and I couldn't happen. She continued to look at me firmly but suspciously. "What are you thinking?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I mumbled, stalking toward the staircase to go to my room.

She was suddenly in front of me, her arms stretched to touch the wall and banister, banning me from passing her. "I really would like to know. Don't go and sulk. Tell me. You can tell me anything."

"No I can't Alice." I ground out between my teeth.

Her lips came out in an adorable pout. "Why?" she demanded.

"Because it's about you!" I blurted. She looked as shocked as I felt as she dropped her hands and backed to one side of the staircase so I could go around her. But I couldn't leave now. "Alice...I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. It's nothing bad."

"Sure." she said quickly and her thoughts were very far from believing me. And then, in her state of pure sadness, she let a thought slip. _We're never going to be together. Why am I so stupid? Why would I even-_

Her thoughts were cut off when I suddenly grabbed her and crushed her lips to mine. She gasped and yanked away and I suddenly felt stunned. Holy shit! She'd never said that 'he' was me. What if she'd been thinking of Jasper all along.

And then, as fast as she'd stopped me on the stairs, a smile broke out across her face and I saw the visions flashing in her mind. Me and her, together in the livingroom, walking, eating, laughing, kissing, fucking...

"You do want me?" I breathed. She nodded, and then we were kissing again.

**Jasper's POV**

I wasn't sure how to feel really. I'd loved Alice completely once. So why was I now watching her and Edward kissing passionately, and feeling only defeated? Yeah, I was slightly angry that either would do such a thing that they knew could hurt me...but I couldn't stay angry for long. Because the way they kissed, as if no one else existed...told me that they'd each found their mate.

Edward had refused Rosalie, but he'd never got the chance with Alice. When we joined the family, we were already together. She was taken. So what had happened to turn them from best friends to lovers so suddenly?

And why wasn't Edward flipping out? He should be able to hear my thoughts by now as I watched them from the treeline. Didn't Alice have a vision of me stomping and beating their faces in. Well...his face. I couldn't hit a woman unless in battle.

Finally, Edward disengaged from where they'd been making out at the window and he glanced out, straight at me, and his face suddenly wasn't so lusty and in the moment. He looked completely tortured and then he turned and ran, leaving Alice dumbfounded in the livingroom.

I turned around, going back to the woods to hunt. I couldn't go in that house without breaking something. I had to burn off some anger first.

**Leah's POV**

I was in human form, and I didn't have to patrol, but a walk in the woods was always refreshing. So I was just walking along, looking around in wonder when I caught that sickly sweet vampire smell. It was very faint and the breeze was blowing it straight into my face.

I growled and then he came into my view, obviously alerted by the growl. I'd never seen him before but I knew he was a Cullen. Sam had told us all about the Cullens. Or at least what he remembered. They were the only vampires we would meet with gold eyes instead of red.

The blonde daddy, Carlisle. He was said to be nice. He was the only one that they spoke to directly.

The brunette mother, Esme.

The burly brunette boy, Emmett.

The lean brunette boy, Edward.

The petite brunette girl, Alice.

The blonde boy, Jasper.

And the blonde female, Rosalie.

They were dangerous, with vampiric abilites to make you like them and rumors were whispered about one that could read your mind. But the wolf in me was supposed to counteract the human in me that would willingly give him my blood. And yet, I felt a pull. A very strong pull.

And I was werewolf for Christ's Sake! Now I understood why humans were so helpless around them.

And why was the vampire revealing himself to me? Because if he thought I was some sort of push-over because I was female, he had another thing coming to him.

Was this the kindly doctor or the empath? They were both blondes from what I heard and no one knew much else. This man...uh, leech, had scars that covered his face and peeked out of the sleeves of his shirt. It didn't distort his features though, and in a way, he looked more dangerous because of it.


	2. Excuse me?

**Jasper's POV**

The female absolutely stunk of a wet dog scent. "I think we both know who was screwing the pooch on this one." I stated, eyeing her wearily. I could tell, by her fear that she knew something was wierd about me.

"Huh?"she asked dumbly.

I shook my head slowly, sighing. Stupid humans.

As angry as I was, I couldn't kill a human. It would only bring problems for my family, and problems for me in the long run because I knew I would have to drink from her if I was to kill her...there would be no point otherwise. She was just lucky that she had been with a werewolf, disguising her scent. Otherwise, the temptation would've proved to be too much.

I knew I wasn't in my right mind and I had to get away from her before my anger grew to where I said, 'fuck the smell' and bit into her perfect flesh anyway. "Nevermind." I muttered, throwing an aggravated hand into the air.

The girl started to back away cautiously, and for the life of me I couldn't tell you why I thought it so amusing. Maybe because she was acting as if I was a rabid dog, and if she didn't threaten me I wouldn't hurt her.

"If I wanted to harm you, I would've harmed you." I spat at the girl. "Stop your foolishness and leave."

This changed something in her. The fear started to get pushed down as her anger rose and she stood up straight. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." I snapped. "Leave before I _do_ rip your throat out."

She only stood more rigidly after that, shaking slightly even when I could barely feel any fear from her anymore. She was angry mostly, a little nervous, and a little excited. Not aroused. But actually excited.

What the hell was this girl thinking? I stepped closer to her and she didn't move. Taking two more big steps, I was only about ten feet away from her. Still, she stood defiantly, staring into my eyes, searching my face. Like I was something interesting to her. And I could feel her curiousity suddenly grow. "What?" I finally snapped.

Her brows rose. "Look, Leech. I don't know who you think you ar-"

I slammed into her in that instint, knocking her to the forest floor and clamping a hand over her mouth all at once. She was shaking like a leaf but I was too busy being angry to concentrate on her feelings. "How do you know what I am?" I snapped. "Your Mutt told you?"She looked confused. "He's not to tell humans. Nor will we about his kind."

She was shaking less now, looking slightly amused. I took my hand from her mouth and looked her in the eyes. "You're right. A mutt told me. All about you and your family. The Cullens. The vampires." She looked amused and smug as she spoke. She picked her head up to get into my face. "I'm going to tell everyone." she whispered.

I growled and before I could do anything, she growled back. Her body shook and within a second, she was a wolf.

I wasn't exactly scared, but I scrambled off of her none the less once she started to snarl and snap toward me. I backed away and she got onto her feet, growling wildly.

She was smaller than the others I'd seen. But I'd never known anyone as intensly angry as she was right now. And she didn't really have a reason to be _THAT_ angry. She was the one threatening my family, after all.

**Leah's POV**

He was shocked to say the least, crouched into a position that let me know he obviously knew how to fight. A little of the uncertainty crept back up. I'd never even seen a vampire...sure as hell never fought one.

And I wanted to try. But maybe I should start off with someone less likely to win this fight.

Then again, I didn't see how I was going to just say 'sorry, I'm outmatched, see ya later.' We were going to fight whether or not I was ready.

"This is impossible. There are no female shifters!" he exclaimed, backing away. I couldn't exactly respond, so he kept talking. "Well, obviously it's possible. But how? When? And-" He cut himself off suddenly, looking around and then back to me with a smirk. Oh shit. He looked like he'd just realized something that I wasn't going to like. "There is a treaty...I'm sure you know about. And it seperates our land." I knew of the treaty, and as I looked around, I felt the fear coming back. "This is Cullen Land."he declared. "I have every right to kill you."

As soon as he finished, I ran. Straight toward the Rez, where I'd be safe. But he was on my tail in a second, grasping my hips and swinging me against a tree. My breath whooshed from my body and I felt a rib crack at the same time as a cracking sound came from the tree.

My anger was boiling now. He _wanted_ to kill me. I tried to leave but he wanted to hurt someone. What if I hadn't been the one to walk past my bounds on accident? What if it had been Jacob? Sam? Seth?

Thinking of my brother here today instead of me, I immediately got angier. Growling loudly, I jumped from the ground with a new mission. Kill this fucking vampire.

The bond I felt before was still there, steadily getting stronger even as I wanted to completely hate him. I pushed the fuzzy feelings down the best I could, remembering the anger by picturing this vampire approaching my brother. And it didn't fail me. I felt it boiling and boiling until it spilt over and I let out a haunting growl, lunging for the beast in a man body.


	3. Still shaking

**Jasper's POV**

I would be lying if I didn't admit that I was a little intimidated. This female was beyond ferocious. And after being with chirpy and sweet Alice for decades, I never thought I'd want an aggressive and bitchy type. Horrifying thoughts of Rosalie filled my mind and I shuttered.

But this girl...she was different. She wasn't bitchy for no reason. But she could sure as hell dish it if she wanted. I hadn't actually heard more than twenty words from the girl, most of it threatening my family. But now that I realized her shaking was due to her anger and trying to keep from changing into a wolf, it kind of freaked me out. Because she was still shaking.

That's how angry she was. She was shaking involutarily, like she was so ready to rip me limb from limb that her head was already spasmically jerking with the thought.

But this was Cullen land, so I could do whatever I pleased. And I was actually a little glad to have some competition instead of another dear or rabbit. I still couldn't drink her blood because it was too close to human blood...but I could fight her. She wasn't too human for that.

I didn't predict however, that as I was thinking all this, she would make the first move.

She turned into a blur as she lunged so I lunged too, impacting hard enough for the breath to audibly hiss from her body. But she kept through it, gasping as she wrestled me to get out from under me.

She was stronger than I'd expected and lightning fast as she pushed me up long enough to roll out from under me. I face planted in the dirt and then she was on my back, growling down at me.

I flipped over, shoving her off me. My blood was starting to pump harder now but I couldn't feel any real anger anymore. I wasn't thinking about Alice and Edward. I was thinking about the she-wolf, and I had adrenaline shooting through my cold veins.

She got over me again, her paws on my hands and her hips locking my legs flat on the ground. Surprisingly, through my anger and frustration, I was a little aroused.

I stopped struggling after a moment when I realized that she hadn't went for my throat yet. And because I stopped struggling, I could feel her confusion and doubt. She didn't want to kill me.

I laughed. "Jesus woman!" I laughed again and she snapped her teeth in my face, growling a little. "One minute you're beyond enraged and now you can't do it?"

This confused her more as she looked at me with those intelligent eyes that asked, _how do you know what I'm thinking?_

She must've heard of Edward. "I don't read minds." I assured her. "I read emotions. My brother does the mind thing." She was suddenly struggling to get off of me without giving me a chance to attack her before she was ready. She couldn't find a good way, so she sprung back quickly, stumbling a few feet before stopping and circling slowly around me.

I could feel her anger building as I stood but she didn't look like she was going to attack, her circle slowly widening like she was trying to slyly move farther and farther away before running.

What the hell is up with this wolf? I tried to concentrate but it was hard to see beyond the intense anger, choking me like a smoke cloud. And then it clicked. She was trying to hide something.

That surprised me. And intrigued me. I started toward her again but she scrambled backward and tripped, jumping up and speeding off. I ran after her but she crossed the treaty line and turned to eye me where I'd slid to a stop. She'd went so fast. Probably as fast or faster than Edward. And the look on her face as she eyed me from the other side of the stream was pure triumph.

Her feelings however, were muddled and confusing. She was sad and horrified and then a deeper part of her...her spirit, was ridiculously happy. She saw my concentrated face, realizing what it meant, and sprinted off before I could even speak. Her emotions got fuzzier and fuzzier until I couldn't feel them at all. I cursed the treaty line and turned back for home.

I arrived home, feeling just as confused as ever. Any other day and I would have ran into the house saying, 'You guys, I just fought a female werewolf. Can you believe it? A female!' But something kept me from mentioning the girl.

Maybe because she didn't just seem like any girl. Something was going on that I couldn't control. Something wierd about her. And I needed to find out what it was. Why she'd looked at me that way.

**Leah's POV**

Imprinting. That's all that I could come up with to explain the raw feeling in my chest when I thought of the blonde vampire. And how I had no idea who he was.

I didn't know his name, his age, if he had a girlfriend or mate or wife, if he knew how I felt, if he cared, if he would've really killed me in that clearing. All I knew was what he looked like and how I felt around and without him.

And I kept going over him in my mind. His golden eyes and blonde hair. His pale skin and the beautifully dangerous scars that marked his body. It hadn't immediately hit me as soon as I saw him like the guys said. It had been a slow torturous development. Still, it was pretty fast.

I'd only been around him for like ten minutes. And a part of me would do anything, even risk being torn apart, just to be back at that clearing.

And then my mind came in. The stubborn mind that refused to imprint. Especially on a fucking vampire, even when I was a little relieved to find out it was possible for me to imprint. I felt more torn than I'd ever felt and that was when I realized that for once in my life, I had no thoughts of Sam in my head.

I pondered him for a moment, waiting for a painful stab to hit me. And it would have if I'd broken his heart by imprinting on someone else...but no, he'd left me long ago. And now my broken heart felt whole again. And like it was only beating for that mysterious blonde vampire.

I sighed and laid back on my bed. I wouldn't let this happen. I was glad that I was over Sam but was it really worth it when this pain was already just as bad? I only suspected it would get worse.

And then I had a brilliant idea. I hopped out of the bed and rushed to take a shower. I don't know why...I guess I wanted to look good before going to see him.


	4. I need you to leave me alone'

**Leah's POV**

I approached the Cullen house, knowing full well that I might die. But I had to do this. I had to be whatever he needed in order to fulfill the imprint. Whatever he wanted from me. Whether a lover, friend, sister, or a stranger.

Knocking lightly on the door, I winced when the door opened immediately. I had dressed myself very meticulously, wanting to look good but not look like I'd tried to look good.

It wasn't one person who answered the door. It was a crowd.

The man in front, a tall blonde man with a straight nose and kind smile, mumbled something like 'get back' to the others before looking at me. "Can I help you?" he asked, suddenly screwing his nose up. He'd caught my scent.

"Sorry about the dog smell." I told him. Why was I being so nice? I was never this nice. And then it dawned in my head that I didn't even know that freaks name. I'd already known that I hadn't known. But now I was realizing how odd it would seem for me to ask if I could see the 'cute blonde one.' "Uhhhh..." And then I just completely lost my nerve. "Nevermind." I said quickly, stepping back.

All the leering faces and my own foolishness was freaking me out.

"Are you okay?" the blonde man asked me as I stumbled back down the front steps.

"Oh, yeah. I'm fine." I told him. "Sorry about the trespassing. It wasn't an intentional snub or anything."

"Snub?" he asked. God! Was everyone just going to assume that I was shacking up with a wolf and that was why I carried the scent?

"Maybe we can not mention this to the pack."I suggested. Looking down at my clothes, I realized they were nothing too important to me and I wanted to get out of there as fast as I could. And I was fastest in wolf form, so I phased right there in their little front yard and darted off to the woods.

**Jasper's POV**

"Holy shit!" I heard Rosalie through the spray of the shower. I jumped out, clothing myself as I still dripped, and ran down the steps ready for battle.

They stood there, the door open, and all looking outside. And I caught _her_ scent...the wolf-girl from before. "What's going on?" I asked, going to join the rest of my family at the door.

"A girl just came by." Edward said slowly.

"What'd she want?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant. With Edward, it wasn't possible. He heard my thoughts and looked over at me, curious and shocked.

"She didn't say." Emmett interrupted Edward and I's silent communication, thank God. "She got shy all of a sudden."

"Spastic was more like it. Stuttering and mumbling and tripping." Rosalie chuckled a little. "And then she phased into a wolf and ran off." She turned from the door to face us. "I didn't know they even had females in the wolfpack. I only ever saw dudes."

"They aren't supposed to." Carlisle said quickly.

"Looks like the wolves are hiding out." Rosalie purred menacingly. "But why?"

"She _was_ pretty fast." Esme commented, turning to Edward. He was the fastest in our family. "Really fast."she said, pointedly insinuating that she may be faster than him.

That's what I'd thought earlier too. After that thought, Edward's head snapped in my direction again. "Was she here to see you?" he asked.

I wanted to pummel him. He smirked, obviously knowing this. "I met her before. But I don't know why she'd come here."

"When did you meet her?" Emmett asked. The same time he asked, Alice chirped up with a, "That's what you spelled like earlier." Her face suddenly turned confused and then I felt her hurt and jealousy. I'd been ignoring her and Edward since I got back, and now I remembered why. Turning quickly, I raced back up the steps to get away from Edward's all knowing thoughts.

"Aren't you going to go see what she wants?" Esme asked.

I paused at the top of the stairs. "She's too fast. She's gone by now. Plus, when I met her...earlier today...we were fighting. I don't know what she'd be here for."

"Wait!" Edward chimed in. "She's coming back. I can hear her."

I came back down the steps. "What's she thinking?" I asked without thinking. Rosalie looked at me oddly. I felt her suspicion.

Edward tilted his head, listening intently, and started to mumble everything she said. "Don't be scared. Don't be scared. It's okay. They'll probably kill you and suck your blood but don't be scared. Don't think anything. Watch out for the mindreader. Watch out for the big guy. Watch out for _him_. Don't let them get too close. You can do this. Just do it." He stopped then and looked back to us. "Now she's just saying 'watch out for the mindreader' over and over."

"Smart girl." Carlisle commented.

"What does she mean_ him_?" Rosalie asked, her voice getting low and swoony when she said it. Like a love sick puppy. But when Edward had said it, there _was_ an emphasis there. What _did_ she mean by that?

"After she said that, she started thinking faster. I think she knows I'm listening and she's thinking erratically on purpose. I can barely understand her." Edward stopped talking, putting a hand up. "Yea. She's talking to me now." He listened intently again. "She wants to know if the blonde one will meet her at the tree line for a minute. She says it will only take a minute."

"Me or Carlisle?" I asked, dumbfounded. Duh...me. But still, even coming to talk to me was odd.

"You." Edward said quickly. "I can see you in her mind. Did you really fight her? And she almost won?"

I shrugged and marched past them, refusing to answer the question. I'd went easy on her. Edward caught up quickly. "She wants me to come too." he said quickly. I was suspicious for a moment, but felt no deceit in him. This surprisingly made me feel a little defensive and disappointed. Why would she need him there?

"She needs a translator since she can't change back to human form without clothes." he answered quickly. The tension between us was ridiculous and we had yet to speak about it. I pushed it from my mind again.

**Leah's POV**

I appeared at the tree line only seconds before he and the mind-reader did.

"Hello." the brunette greeted me. "I'm Edward."

_Hello, I'm Leah, _I greeted awkwardly. I got straight to the point_. This may seem wierd...okay, it's completely wierd. But can you tell your friend...I don't even know his name...can you tell him that I need a very small favor._

Edward turned to my vampire. "She needs a little favor."

He looked completely confused and reluctant. "What?"

_This is going to sound even wierder. But I need him to say 'I need you to leave me alone.'_

Edward looked at me wierdly, but I kept thinking the same thing over and over, careful not to let him into my mind. I learned how to achieve this through six months of sharing my mind with nine other wolves.

Edward turned to the blonde. "She wants you to tell her to leave."

The scarred vampire looked to me quickly. "Leave." he said awkwardly, almost making it sound like a question.

_No!_ I interrupted quickly. _He has to say it. He has to say. 'I need you to leave me alone.'_

"Wait. She needs you to say 'I need you to leave me alone.' Those exact words."Edward told him.

This time, the boy furrowed his brow deeply, like I must be out of my mind. "Why?"

_God! Just please, tell him to say it. It's really important. _

"She said, just please do it. It's really important." Edward leaned closer to the boy and whispered very quietly, "She sounds desperate."

_Desperate!_ I scoffed. _Who am I kidding? I am. Just tell him that it's very important. Oh, just tell him to say 'I don't need you.' That would work too._

The Edward fellow had his brows rose almost to his hair line. "She heard me whisper to you just now. And she said that she is desperate. And, instead you can just say 'I don't need you.' That would work too."

My scarred vampire looked me straight in the eyes. "What's this all about?"

_Oh my God. It's none of your business! Just do it, _I snapped.

"She says it's none of your business. Just do it. Please." He slid me a sly smile as he added the please, like he was doing me a favor. I guess he kind of was.

Still though, my vampire didn't say it. "It's obviously my business if you came here to see me. And I'm not saying that until you tell me what's going on."

With that, I felt the fear rise in me suddenly. Would I ever get this fucking imprint out of the way? Unconsciously, I whimpered. Feeling weak, I snarled at them and they both backed away, shocked at my behavior. I whimpered again, trying to apologize. The fear, anger, defeat and annoying happiness that my soul wouldn't stop were all conflicting. Plus, I was trying to block my feelings from _him_ and my thoughts from the other one.

It all burst out of me and I turned, running back to the Rez, howling the whole way.


	5. What did she do?

**Jasper's POV **

She actually had the nerve to come to _my _home, demand a favor, and then snarl when I asked a question? I stomped back inside, Edward close on my heels. "Something's going on. What are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything!" I fumed. "I saw you and my wife making out." Edward flinched back even though he'd known that I saw. "I got angry and went back to the woods. I stumbled upon the Mutt. She got snippy and we fought. She had me pinned and suddenly ran off, acting all wierd. Now she shows up here with these wierd requests...I don't know what the hell she's up to."

"Edward!" Rosalie shrieked. "You and Alice?"

"Dude..." Emmett muttered the single word but it worked as both a sympathetic sigh on my part and a scold for Edward.

"Edward..." Esme started, sounding completely heartbroken. She walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay, Jasper?"

Edward's face was tortured and haunted. But that didn't bother me. I could feel the waves of saddness and guilt and shame rolling off of him. And for some reason, it upset me that he was so upset. Because truthfully, I was more confused about the wolf than hurt about Alice. We'd been more of friends than anything for the last two or three years, only having sex occasionally.

"Family meeting." Carlisle declared, but we were already all together. He just meant that we should all take seats in the diningroom. So we did. He looked straight to me first. "Jasper..." I could feel his heartbreak for me and for himself. "You're not going to leave are you?"

I opened my mouth to say yes, because that was what had been going through my mind when I had first seen them kissing in the livingroom, but now I wasn't so sure. It wasn't that bad, and I didn't want to leave Rosalie and Carlisle and Emmett and Esme. Hell, I didn't even want to leave Edward and Alice. I closed my mouth again and shrugged.

"How could you?" Rosalie spat at Edward and Alice, who sat across from the three of us at the table. "We're supposed to be family."

"It's not as if they planned it." I heard myself say. I stopped for a minute, surprised at myself, and both Alice and Edward both looked up from the table. "It was a spur of the moment thing that I happened to stumble upon."

"All I know is that if Edward had kissed Rose, I would've tore him apart." Emmett growled. He turned to me. "So, why didn't you?"

"Alice and I were content...yes. But I was never completely sure that we were mates." I told them. "She was my savior, my best friend, and my wife. But after a few decades...I just think there's more." Despite the guilt, I still felt the hurt coming off Alice and the hope from Edward.

"We don't want to lose any of you." Esme said sadly. And I knew that if we were able to, she would be crying. "I _can't_ lose any of you." And the genuine pain that was clogging the entire room was starting to overwhelm me. How come none of it was coming from me? I felt lied to, but not really betrayed. Because Edward had to of known that we weren't really that much in love anymore.

"Alice, you're like a sister to me." I told her. "And Edward, you are my brother. So that's what we'll be. And you two are free to be mates. I will be fine." I turned to Esme then. "No one is going anywhere."

She smiled through her grimace and I smiled back and stood from the table. "I guess Alice can't pretend she's Edward's real sister anymore." I tried to joke. "But I _do_ think we should report the breach of our treaty to the Pack. They need to keep their members in line." And then I walked out of the room of astonished faces.

**Leah's POV**

So, that blew up in my face. Now he was just more suspicious of me. More repulsed.

I was in my bedroom again, straight from the shower, when the long howl pierced through the walls from the forest. That was a signalling howl. We were being summoned.

I was already tired from so much running and fighting today. From the emotional rollercoaster and tension. I just wanted some fucking rest.

But still, I couldn't just ignore the call, so I bounded down the steps in my naked glory and pushed open the back door, phasing on the spot. Seth was waiting for me in the yard and we both sprinted toward the forest.

_Meet at the line. Not the clearing. _Sam was telling us through our conjoined mind. I repeated the lyrics to an old Led Zeplin song in my mind, focusing hard on the words as I ran to keep any of today's events from being seen.

Seth eyed me wearily as I kept pace beside him, but I ignored it.

_Don't quit your dayjob, _Embry half-joked. Oh hahaha. Really fucking funny.

_I think you have a nice voice, Leah, _Jake complimented. We weren't close but he wasn't as mean as everyone else either. To make it even, I tried not to badmouth him like I did the others.

_Thanks._

Seth and I made it to the clearing pretty quickly, surpassing it for the stream that marked the treaty line. It was only another mile or so away. But as we approached, still about half a mile from it, I could smell that sickly sweet scent again and my hackles rose.

Vampires. Yeah...multiple.

I sniffed harder and pulled his scent out from the others. He was definitely there. I just had to make sure not to act like a love-sick fool in front of my entire pack and his little family.

As my brother and I approached cautiously, we came over to the right of Paul. My eyes immediately locked with _his_ and I managed to pull them away, concentrating on the mindreader as I kept singing those lyrics in my mind.

"You don't have to phase." Edward told them. "If you wish, I could just read your mind." Sam phased anyway, hurriedly pulling on the cutoff jeans that he had tied to his leg. Paul and Jared did the same. I stayed in wolf form and Seth followed my example.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sam demanded, puffing his chest out. I managed not to roll my eyes as I kept the chant up in my head.

"We'd like to discuss one of the females." Edward said with an aura of arrogance. Sam grimaced. "Yes. We were led to believe that only males became shifters. The werewolf that we're talking about, her name was -"

"Leah." Sam muttered at the same time as Edward. This caused Edward to pause, looking uncertain.

Then he nodded. "She is the only female in your pack?" he asked as if he hadn't just pulled the information from one of our minds.

"The only female shifter to ever exist in our tribe." Sam said, matter-of-factly. He sighed wearily. "What did she do?"


	6. I hope you're happy

**Jasper's POV**

"What did she do?"their leader asked. He looked tired, like he had asked the question millions of times. Was this her father? I knew that werewolves only aged if they chose to. For all I knew he could look like the same age as her.

I could tell that Carlisle didn't like this one bit. He felt for the scared shifter girl. But I wanted an explanation. And he was doing this because I'd asked him to. "Well, earlier in the day, she attacked my son in the woods. On our side." He ushered behind us to the woods we claimed.

From the other side of the creek, I could see her. Leah...And she had her eyes locked on Edward intensely, trying to avoid my eyes. But I could still feel her shame and fear and mostly...her anger. Like always.

"Later, she crossed the line again to come to our house." Carlisle told the Native American man.

"She attacked you again?" he asked.

"She snarled at us." I spoke up. The man turned to Leah and I could feel his irritation and anger. But I could also feel fear, like he was angry because she could've been hurt. She looked to him and whimpered once, cowering into the gangly tan-colored wolf beside her. Who was that?

"Her brother." Edward whispered to me, so low that I could barely hear it from beside him. "No one knows what she's done. He's frightened for her."

"What about her?" I asked.

Edward shrugged. "She's singing in her thoughts. To keep me out and to keep her pack brothers out." He shook his head slightly. "They don't seem as worried about her." I thought he meant that everyone else knew nothing would happen, but by the way he said it, in that sad tone, I knew he meant that they just didn't care too much. I sighed, feeling frustrated. How was she so good at throwing up a smoke screen?

I could feel the slight nervousness and excitement roll of the wolves. A little bit of fear from a rusty colored wolf in the back. Terror from the gangly wolf and rage from her. Her rage seemed to slowly block everything else out.

"Leah?" the man snarled. "Do you have anything to say about this?" She whimpered again, bowing her head in submission. I recognized it as an apology to us.

Suddenly, a big gray wolf in the back phased into human form just long enough to say, "She has no clothes with her."

"So?"

"She can't phase. But she's sorry. To the Cullens for trespassing. And to you for disobeying."

I felt my eyes narrow suddenly. Disobeying? Like a dog disobeys his master? The man turned back to us, seething with anger. "Did you wish to break the treaty then? Or are you content with allowing me to punish her?"

"Punish?" Esme gasped.

The man's steely eyes didn't waver as he misunderstood Esme's horrified question as a greenlight to demonstrate what punishing included. He strode toward the wolf, smaller than all the others, and kicked her in the ribs. Kicked her!

Esme gasped again and even Rosalie winced.

She didn't whimper that time. Instead, she growled, I think without realizing at _who_ she was growling. His head cocked to the side like he couldn't believe she'd done it and then he shouted, "Stay right there." in a deep voice that sounded like two people. "Quil!" he shouted, and a medium sized wolf (huge compared to a real wolf, but somewhere between the size of her and the other, older wolves.) made his way to the front. The leader nodded lightly and the wolf attacked her.

Her brother started to snap and snarl at the wolf and yanked at the wolf to get him away, but the leader told him to 'stop helping her' in that same tone, and the boy did. But he howled and snarled the entire time as if he physically was being prevented from helping her. She'd fallen over from the attack, but never moved to fight back. She didn't whimper or growl or snarl, she just took it like there was no pain. But I could feel the pain and even I wanted to cry out. She phased back to her human form, lying on her side on the ground, completely still as the wolf bit her shoulders and back.

"Stop!" Carlisle shouted.

Everyone froze. Even Quil, turning around anxiously. The girl's brother continued to whine and paw at the ground as if he was trying to get closer but couldn't.

"We only wanted to tell you that she had crossed the grounds so you could keep her from doing it again. I don't think she even meant to do it the first time." Carlisle sighed loudly. "She's only a young girl."

"She's twenty. A woman. And she can handle it." the man said back. The girl's brother barked and snarled at the remark until the leader told him to shut up.

I was even more confused now. Nothing had been answered for me.

Why had this girl followed me home? Why was she asking me to say strange things? Why was this man so belligerent with her and why was no one helping her? Why wasn't she fighting back so ferociously like she had earlier?

"It's the Alpha's Command." Edward informed me in that very low voice again. "They literally can not break it. It's against their will."

"Like mind control?" I asked. He nodded solemnly.

"That's enough." Carlisle was telling the leader. "She caused no real harm even when she could have."

"I will discipline her how I see fit." the man barked.

"You already have!" Esme cried. It was true. We could all see the blood on the wolf boy's snout and smell it in the air. Wierdly enough, the blood didn't stink of animal like their scent. It was actually quite enticing. So I held my breath.

"Stand up Leah!" the man told her. She pushed herself to her feet, standing naked in front of everyone. Her head was down and a sharp anger flooded through me. I wanted to rip off Quil and the Leader's heads.

Her brother kept his gaze down too.

"What's she thinking now?" I asked Edward.

He looked completely baffled as he answered. "She's still singing that song."

Somehow that made me feel better. She was too weak to remain in her wolf form, but still coherent enough and strong enough to block Edward. And that told me that whatever she was hiding must be big.

Her Leader- Alpha, whatever they called him-didn't order her to do anything, but it was implied. She lifted her head, forcing her eyes to meet not mine, but Carlisle's. Her eyes were filled with pain and defeat. But even then, that anger simmered in her. "I'm sorry. For trespassing onto your land." She looked to Edward. "I'm sorry for snarling at you." And then she looked to me and her anger intensified. "I'm sorry for attacking you in the woods." When she said the word you, it was emphasized, because technically, I had jumped her first when she called me a leech. But she _was_ the one that phased and started snapping. "I have no excuse and I didn't want to break the treaty in any way."

Already, I could see the bites on her stomach and shoulders were healing, but blood still dripped down her amazing breasts and those long legs.

Sharply, I pulled myself from those thoughts, and looked to the Alpha man. "Apology accepted."

And then Leah turned and sprinted off through the woods. The rusty wolf from the back followed her, as did her gangly brother. The rest stayed, nodding at us respectfully, which we returned, and then turned back toward their woods.

"That was..." Carlisle started.

"Awful." Esme finished in a gasp. She was closest to tears that a vampire could be.

Edward looked to me with anger and disappointment in his eyes. "I hope you're happy." was all he said before he too, ran back toward home.


	7. that asshole Quil Atera

**Leah's POV**

I ran straight for the house, still naked because I refused to phase back and possibly allow anyone to see my hurt. For once, it wasn't about Sam. And part of me wished it was. At least that ache was familiar.

At least that ache was like a dull throb always present. This...it worse. A sharpness that threatened to steal my breath away and had me breathing harder than I was breathing from the run.

**Seth's POV**

I tried to keep up with Leah the best I could, but she was always faster than the rest of us and as we hit the treeline that led into our backyard, she started getting even faster, slamming the backdoor behind her before I could even phase back.

Jacob phased too and stood beside me as we both watched the house in stunned horror. I could hear her bound up the steps and then her shower cut on. "What the hell was that all about?"

I shook my head, feeling a stinging in my eyes. "I don't know."

I started forward but Jacob stopped me. "Maybe we should let her have a little time." he said. I nodded and we both went inside. I got changed and Jacob put on his cutoffs and we sat on the couch to wait for her.

Leah stayed in the shower for two hours straight and when the water finally turned off from above, Jacob sighed, relieved. For a while, I'd started to think maybe she was catatonic up there or something. I heard her walking around her bedroom, slamming dresser drawers open and closed and then the unmistakable squeak when she crawled into her bed. "I think I should handle this on my own." I told Jacob.

Leah was okay with him but even I knew he shouldn't push it.

Jacob waited a long moment before sighing again. "You're right. You're the most likely person for her not to attack." He let out a strained laugh and then walked to the back door. "Let me know how she is." he said quickly before walking out.

I nodded, although he was already gone, and took a deep breath as I pushed myself up from the couch. Leah may be less likely to kill me than anyone else but sometimes even I got scared of her. Still, I had to make sure she was okay, so I loped up the steps and knocked lightly on her bedroom door.

I expected her to ignore me and be angry when I went in anyway. But I heard a soft, "Seth?" from inside and my heart swelled up for the love I had for my sister.

"Yeah. It's me."

"Are you alone?" she whispered.

"Yeah."

And then, in a voice that I barely recognized as hers, she said, "Okay." I opened the door and slipped in, letting it click behind me. And my tempermental, bitchy, crazy, defiant, beautiful sister was curled into the fetal position on her bed, facing the wall. I wasn't able to control the breaking of my voice when I asked if she was okay. She wasn't able to control it either when she responded. "No."

I crawled into the bed behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, hugging her to my chest. "It's okay Leah. I'm so sorry."

I heard a bitter laugh and she clasped my hands with hers. "You did more than I could expect of you."

I felt like I was going to break down at any second, remembering the complete powerless feeling when I'd been watching that asshole Quil Atera ripping at my sister. How she'd been forbidden from fighting back. But I knew, if it hadn't been for the Alpha Command, she would have fought anyway. _I_ felt like crying, and I wasn't even the one that had been humiliated and beat.

"Leah," I whispered, "How are you so strong?"

"How am I strong?" she asked. "I couldn't even break the stupid fucking Command. I couldn't have saved my own life if it would have came down to it."

"But you still haven't even cried. How can you keep that all inside?"

Another bitter laugh. "Because there is no point in crying anymore. Why show the pain when no one cares?"

I gripped her tighter and she winced a little but didn't say anything. "I care." I said vehemently. "I'll always care."

"I don't cry because I won't give them the satisfaction." she said, sounding a bit more like herself. Stubborn. Not defeated.

"But how can you control it?" I asked, because I was crying now.

She turned over, breaking my hold on her and looked into my eyes. "You don't need to control it, Seth. You're the sweet, caring, sensitive one. The laid-back one. I'm the worrier. The reckless, vicious, spontaneous one. I'm too stubborn to let them see it. I might have to whimper and apologize and stand there while someone bites me. But I won't show them how much they hurt me." She wiped the tears from my cheeks and then kissed them. "I would love you no matter what, but I wouldn't like you as much if you were like me."

I smiled despite myself. Leah being so sweet and loving wasn't a very common occurence since Sam and Emily. And even when it did happen, I think that me and our father were the only ones to see it from her. Not even mom did, since she seemed to take Emily's side in the whole situation.

"So, why are you so sad?" I asked. She'd had the same punishment before and she'd been furious afterward, not like this. Not so sad and deflated.

She sighed and let herself relax on the bed. "I can't tell you. You'd accidentally let it slip to the Pack. But I'm going to fix it."

**Jasper's POV**

I wasn't happy. I thought seeing the werewolf be bitched out would bring me comfort. And then she'd leave me alone. But it went way past that and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

What? Hop the treaty line and take out the werewolf that was hurting her? They'd have punished her whether or not I was there. And helping would've only caused the treaty to be broken and a war would begin. I couldn't bring myself to put my family in danger over a girl that I barely knew.

My brain told me that staying out of it was the logical thing to do. So then why did I feel like shit for it?

When we got back to the house, I refused to let myself brood over it. So instead, I sat in the livingroom with everyone else in silence. Edward and Alice sat side by side on the loveseat, but they were being respectful of my feelings and not touching.

Esme and Carlisle were on the couch with Rosalie and Emmett on the other loveseat. I sat on the other couch alone. The room was arranged in a small square, so we could all sit and talk, but everyone was watching the bigscreen mounted on the wall a few feet behind me. The TV wasn't on though, they just didn't know what to say after what we'd witnessed.

"We shouldn't have turned her in." Carlisle finally spoke up. "She didn't deserve that."

"When she came to the door...she seemed like a sweet girl. I just don't understand why she would attack you in the woods." Esme added.

I sighed and Edward spoke up, reading my mind. "He was being rude and so she started to be rude too. She called him a leech and since he assumed she was human, he grabbed her and asked how she knew. She took that as a threat and then she phased. Jasper was angry because she snapped at him to get away and so when she ran, he attacked."

"So, you started it?" Esme asked.

I sighed. "I wasn't going to fight her at first. Until she phased. Technically, she started it."

"And she tried to end it." Rosalie snapped. What? Rosalie? Taking up for a dog? "She didn't want to fight you but she knew that if you attacked, her best chances were as a wolf. I understand you killing a wolf, but don't blame her if you started the fight."

"What's your problem?" I hissed, sitting up.

"My problem is seeing defenseless women get beat by men." she cried out. "I died in a similar fashion if you could recall."

"Rose, I'm sorry. I didn't know they would do that. They're supposed to be a family. I would never do that to any of you."

"They may be a tribe." Edward chimed in. "But they're not related. Except for the smaller wolf being her brother."

Esme gasped. "The one that tried to help? It was her brother?" She let out something supiciously close to a sob. "Oh no."

"He's the youngest in the pack." Edward said solemnly. "I heard one of them thinking that he shouldn't see this at fifteen."

"Fifteen!" I yelled, standing up. The fact that he was her _younger_ brother made it worse. "Jesus."

"The pack leader was her ex-boyfriend." Edward added. "He was thinking of how handy the Alpha Command would've been when they were dating." I felt a pang of jealousy. But why should I? She was a stranger to me.

"What?" Rosalie snapped again. "That sick son of a bitch. What is wrong with him?"

"He's the leader. And he's high on the ego trip." I added. I had felt that from him. Triumph and satisfaction.

"Not the rightful leader." Edward said. "Blacks were always the Alphas. The red wolf, the one that was almost as big as the Alpha. He is meant to lead but he is younger. I heard him thinking that if he was Alpha, he would never hurt her."

That statement caused my jealousy to rise. What was that supposed to mean? Was the Black boy in love with her?

"Yes." Edward said to me. "But he stays away because he doesn't want to hurt her when he imprints. The way that Sam, the Alpha, did."

"Imprint?" I asked.


	8. I'd rather die

**Jasper's POV**

"What's an Imprint?" Alice asked.

Edward shrugged. "That's just what he was thinking."

Carlisle sighed, as if getting ready for a lecture. "An imprint is what it's called when they find their mate. Although we don't know until we kiss or have sexual relations, the shifters usually know at first sight. And it's not always a mate. Sometimes, if they are in love with someone else or the imprintee is, the person they've imprinted on can just keep them as a friend. It's the one person in the world they will be bound to forever. They are whatever the imprintee needs them to be. A mate, bestfriend, brother or sister...anything."

"So, how do they know if they don't immediately fall in love?" I asked.

Carlisle sighed yet again. "They do immediately fall in love. But it can be a platonic love, family love, or passionate love. If the imprintee needed a friend, the imprinter would be the best friend they ever had."

"So, they're sort of like their slaves? Like doing whatever the imprintee wants?" I asked. Carlisle nodded.

"The leader was with the girl when he imprinted on a relative of hers." Edward started. "The Black boy doesn't want to be with Leah in case he imprints and breaks her heart again."

"He would just fall right out of love with her?" I asked.

"No." Carlisle answered. "But she would be in the background because his life would revolve around his imprintee. He would still harbor love for her but it would be painful to be with her unless his imprintee desired for him to live his life and only be her friend."

Hmmm. That would be kind of cool. Not for the wolf, because they're pretty much in love with someone without wanting to be and they have to do what she says. But for the imprintee it would be awesome. To be the number one thing in someones life. "Doesn't it hurt their feelings if the imprintee doesn't want to be with them romantically?" I asked Carlisle.

"No. Unless they also love the person. The imprint feels them with the desire to be with that person. A part of their life. And if the imprintee only wants a friend, it fulfills the imprint. And they can be with someone else."

"But what if the imprintee decides that they want the person later?" Emmett asked.

Carlisle shrugged. "I would imagine that the wolf would drop their lover on the spot. Because their main purpose in life would be to make thier Imprint happy."

"And what if they see their Imprint through a car window or something and never get to speak to them?" Rosalie asked curiously. "They found them but they don't know what the Imprint wants."

"I'd imagine that to be very emotionally painful. But they would most likely spend the rest of their days trying to find her." Carlisle answered. "It's stronger than just finding a soulmate. Because their soul literally will not rest without their Imprint once it's been found. We might feel lonely, but they would be utterly depressed."

**Leah's POV**

I awoke early the next morning, before Seth could wake up, and dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. I left a long note, telling him everything, inside of his sock drawer. He never went into that drawer anymore, but he would find it eventually. It was just in case I didn't come back.

Still, I kissed his forehead before I set off for the Cullens' house.

**Jasper's POV**

Esme and Carlisle went hunting late in the night, so the next morning, they still weren't back and we figured they'd stopped for something else besides hunting. They were one passionate couple to be our adopted parents.

I was in the livingroom with my siblings. Rosalie and Alice were watching some ridiculous show. Emmett was sitting there, blandly flipping through some car magazine while Edward and I read.

Alice sat up suddenly. "I just went blank. I can't see Carlisle and Esme anymore. I can't see anything."

Edward straightened up on the sofa. "She's coming." he alerted us all. By the tone of his voice, we knew it wasn't Esme that he was talking about. "Leah." he said next.

I stood from the couch just as the most intense anger I had ever felt started to waft towards me.

"She's angry." Edward was saying.

We all made our way to the front door and stepped outside, coming around the side of the house, where she'd met us last time. Her face was blank when she stepped into our sights. Her scent hit me head on. The light dog smell, and a coconut shampoo. I could even smell the faintest hint of copper from the blood she'd worn recently and strawberries from some sort of soap or lotion. Wierd enough, the coconut and strawberry smell aroused me and the faint smell of her powerful blood had my mouth lightly watering.

I fidgeted a little, trying to cover the front of my pants with my sweater.

Leah stalked forward until she was only a few feet in front of us. Her chin-length black hair was pulled into a little ponytail and she was wearing jeans, boots, and a pretty yellow teeshirt.

Her hair being pulled back only accentuated her Native American features and made her more lovely. This time, she looked straight at me. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"You're not supposed to be back here." I answered.

She took this as me refusing to go, so instead she put her hands on her hips. "Then kill me."she spat.

I know the others were as suprised as me. "What?"

"I would rather die then you tattle again and get me beat in front of my brother." She was getting even angrier as she spoke. "Do you know that he cried when we got back home? Do you know that you made a fifteen year old cry because he thought Sam would let Quil kill me? Do you know that it actually crossed Sam's mind?" She sighed a little. "I'd rather it be any of you."

"Then why'd you come back here?" I asked.

"Because I want a rematch. And if I win...you have to say what I asked you to say yesterday. And not tell the pack that I came here again." Her chin was held high as she spoke, never looking to my brothers or sisters.

"And if he wins?" Rosalie asked.

Leah looked to her for only a moment before looking back to me. "I'll have to die before he wins."


	9. She was fast

**Leah's POV**

I'll admit it. I was desperate. The pain that was boiling in me whenever I was away from him, unsure of his thoughts on me, was too much. I just needed him to tell me what he needed. And then I could get back to my life.

But for some reason, he wanted to play hardball. So I was there, at the Cullens' house, to play. But no matter what, I wasn't going to feel Sam or Quil's teeth bite into me ever again.

I would either get away scot-free or I was going to die. Today.

Wierd. Because as much as I hated my life and Sam and this vampire whom I still didn't even know his name, I wanted to live. I wanted to experience life and be happy and watch my little brother find love and blah blah blah. I at least wanted to watch him live the life that I couldn't. Plus, if the way my life was turning out was any reflection of how much God loved me, I knew that when I died I wouldn't be going to heaven. I mean, jeez, big guy in the sky had it out for me.

So I steeled my resolve, looked blond boy right in the eye and rose my brows. "Deal?"

He laughed. "You win and I say 'I need you to leave' and keep my mouth shut? I win and you die? That seems a little uneven. What's the big deal about me saying that?"

I swallowed hard, repeating bitch in my head over and over to keep the mind reader out. It was a good word that helped keep my anger up too. To keep the empath out. "That's another thing, you can't ask why. So is it a deal or not?"

"Not."he said quickly.

I sputtered. "Why?"

"Because there is no reason for this. I don't need you to die. But you need me to say those words. Tell me why and I'll say them."

No he wouldn't. I'd tell him why and he'd either kill me on the spot or mock me and turn me into some household slave. I wasn't telling him shit.

"I can't tell you why. I promised I wouldn't." I lied, making it seem like this was all a favor for someone else. His brow furrowed in the most adorable way. Damnit, Leah! Get your head out of his ass! "Just tell me what you want if I lose."

He pondered this for a long time, glancing around to the others he had beside him. The sweet man from the night before wasn't present, nor was the woman that had been staring at my beating in horror. Great! The ones with no souls decided to stay in today. "Hmmmm." he started, "I can't think of anything I want."

"Jesus!"I screeched, pacing back and forth. "Whatever you want, okay? Seriously, anything. I'll get down on my hands and knees and beg. I'll be your slave for a month. I'll wash your cars, mow your lawn, whatever! Just please..." I trailed off, knowing the desperation was apparent in my eyes.

"Jasper..." the blonde woman let out in a whisper, "Put the dog out of its misery. This is just sad."

I swallowed the insult, grinding my teeth to hold back, and looked back to Jasper. That was a nice name. And it fit him. He was looking at me as if I was dog shit and he didn't know how to clean me up. I got down on my knees and it was the closest I'd come to crying in two years. The shame was eating me up. "Please. Fight me."

The blonde woman looked down-right disgusted now, but I looked away. They didn't understand. The Imprint made us this way. I would like his boots if he said it would make him happy. And I absolutely hated myself for it.

I could feel tears threatening and I fisted my hands, thinking of these vampires attacking my brother. Alone and defenseless and scared, whimpering for me. The flood of anger shot through my veins so quick that I shivered and opened my eyes. "Stop doing that." Jasper ground out, his body tense.

"What?"

"You're making yourself angry. And it's already too much for me to handle. What's wrong with you? What could you possibly be so angry over?" he asked.

I would've said 'you' but didn't want to make him angrier. "I'm just in a tight spot. And I really need to make this deal."

He watched me for a long, careful minute before he nodded. "Okay. But if I win...you have to tell me how you do that."

"Do what?" I asked. What was he talking about?

"Project your feelings so much. I can feel them way more intensely than others." he answered. I nodded and couldn't help but to smile a little as I stood. Maybe I'd be dying soon or be really hurt, but he'd just said that he felt me more intensely than other people. The imprinted part of me rejoiced and broke through for that second before the bitchy brain in my head took back control and I scowled.

**Emmett's POV**

Okay, so this girl was definitely wierd. She was gorgeous...sure, but wierd as hell.

I was as confused as everyone else, not understanding the big deal about him telling her to go away. Why'd he have to say it? Why didn't she...just go?

Secondly, why was she ready to die over this? Because Jasper could probably kill her pretty easily. And knowing Jasper, if he got caught up too much...he would.

So we stood against the house as they spaced apart from one another. She pulled off her boots and started taking off her pants. "What are you doing?" Rosalie snapped.

She looked down at the slowly growing pile of clothes. "Not destroying my clothes." she snapped. Rosalie rose a brow but quieted. Leah was the girl's name...that's right...and she was pulling off her pants to show off some long, naturally tanned legs. They were shapely and I could almost feel the heat just by looking at them.

She pulled off her tank top next, revealing a matching black bra and panties. Sure, I'd seen her naked the night before but she was bloody and bruised. And the terror rose way above any attempts of checking her out.

But now...her skin was smooth again, soft and curvy but toned to perfection. I knew she would be soft and warm...something I hadn't had in forever...but I loved my Rose, so I just watched.

She pulled off her underwear and then her bra, never looking away from Jasper's eyes. If I hadn't known she wanted to kill him...I'd almost think she had the hots for him. And maybe him for her by the way Jasper's eyes roamed her body before connecting with her eyes again. But too soon, she was completely undressed and her body began to blur before coming down on all fours as a wolf. I'd never seen one actually change right in front of me before...besides her yesterday, but even then it was so fast. This time I knew it was coming and I watched.

Still, it was fast. But I was mesmerized as the silvery gray wolf snarled and Jasper. And then my ready-for-battle-anytime brother launched himself at her.

His arm circled her neck and her teeth clamped onto his shoulder, causing them to spin around from the momentum they'd created when running at one another. One second into the fight and they were both already on the ground. Jasper was screaming as she tore into his shoulder like crazy, breaking through layers of his hard skin like he was a human. She was whimpering too though, even as she bit, because he was trying to grip her around the neck but couldn't quite get his arm from her mouth.

Finally, with his free arm, he grabbed her by the fur on her back and flung her through the air, causing her to slam into the ground fifty feet away. She was up in a second, which surprised me, because I knew that had to hurt.

Jasper was standing, breathing hard as his arm healed itself instantly. Her eyes narrowed and she started to slink in closer. She really was prepared to fight to the death. I couldn't help but be a little impressed.

He moved toward her quick as lightning, but she lunged to the right and he missed her. Actually missed her! She was fast. Jasper spun around on point just as she did and then they were face to face.

Him hissing and spitting like a cat and her snarling and snapping like the dog she temporarily was. Her whole back was arched, her fur on end and her ears laid back flat. Even I was a little intimidated and she didn't even have her intense stare on me.

**Rosalie's POV**

The wolf got tired of just snarling pretty quick and launched herself at Jasper. She was quick. Even quicker than him because she impacted, taking him down to the ground with her massive jaws clamped on his throat.

I was completely astonished. "When do we know who won? First one to give up?"

"Yep." Emmett said back. And looking at the battle, I didn't think the girl was _ever _planning to give up. Her last breath would probably be a snarl. If Jasper even managed to start winning.


	10. I barely know her

**Rosalie's POV**

Her teeth were ripping at his neck and Jasper was screaming when suddenly, he whipped her around and yanked back, a big chunk of his neck still in her mouth. She spat it out as he pinned her to the ground, hissing in her face. She bucked and snarled and snapped, but Jasper kept his head just out of reach.

Her hind legs were awkwardly sprawled out like a dog wanting a belly rub. They were useless in that position because she couldn't get them between their bodies to claw at him. And then, she blurred and was in human form again, looking slightly distressed but very angry.

She brought up her very human leg and slammed it into his groin. He cried out at the same time she did, rolling off of her.

She stood, limping on the right leg and popped her kneecap back into place with a small grimace of pain. This bitch was tough! I had to give her that. She quickly phased back into wolf form and started biting at Jasper as he pushed himself up. She was biting into his flesh all over his back and shoulders, shaking her head to rip and cause more pain.

He tackled her down and grabbed her left arm, snapping it back the wrong way. She howled in pain and started lash out without any kind of calculation. She clawed him a few times before he grabbed her by the neck and pushed her to the ground. "Do you give up?"he asked.

She growled in his face, a very clear no, and started to snap and claw as much as she could. His grip tightened on her neck and she started to flail around. "Stop fighting and I'll let you go." he ground out.

But she purposely started to swipe near his face and kick and howl. She phased back into her human form just as her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped, completely unconscious. Two more minutes of choking and she'd be dead. Or he could squeeze harder and just crush her windpipe.

But he didn't. He slowly got off from on top of her and then bent to pick her up.

She was limp in his arms, her head dangling over one around and her feet dangling over the other as he stared at us. "What do I do with her?" he asked.

"Why didn't you kill her?" Emmett asked, stealing my question. Although his was more out of curiousity than anger than Jasper hadn't actually done it. Jasper shrugged and started to go around us, heading inside.

**Jasper's POV**

Great! I have her on the ground with a broken kneecap, broken arm, and little scrapes and bruises all over and I can't finish it? So what does this mean? I still win, right? She has to tell me what's going on?

"Seth..." she murmured.

"Her brother." Edward explained as he followed me up the steps. "I can read her mind much better now. And her dreams are very vivid."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"She's dreaming of you." he told me slowly. "Of you watching her get hit. Huh! Seems like she took that as a betrayal."

I looked down at the suddenly frail-looking girl in my arms. "How? I barely know her."

"I don't know. Now she's dreaming of her brother. Being attacked by you." Edward looked very confused. "You didn't, d-"

"No!" I exclaimed. "I've never even seen him besides that one day. In wolf form."

"Carlisle's here!" Alice chimed from outside just as I made it to Carlisle's study. I took the girl inside and laid her onto the couch. Carlisle was there within seconds, probably hearing of our need for him from Alice or Rosalie.

"What happened?" he asked quickly.

"Right leg. Left arm. Can you check her out?"

He glanced down and grimaced. "We need to reset the bones quick. They're healing too fast." He leaned down, grabbed her leg, and started popping things into place. Leah sat up almost immediately, screaming from the top of her lungs.

My hand clamped down on her mouth. "He's gotta fix it." I told her. She looked around quickly, looking scared, but shut her mouth under my hand. I let go and when Carlisle popped another bone into place she just grunted, biting down hard on her lip.

**Leah's POV**

After the doctor had reset my leg and arm, which was pretty painful, I lie still on the couch for an hour or so. Finally, Jasper came into the room with a triumphant look on his face. My blood boiled.

"So...you gonna tell me what's up?"

"No." I said quickly.

"We had a deal." he said with a raise of his brow. I almost let myself smile at the smug look but quickly kept myself from it. "You win, I say it. I win, you tell me why."

"You didn't win. Because for you to win, I'd have to say that I gave up. And you wanted me to tell you how I project, remember? Not my reasons. That was part of the deal."

He grabbed my hand and I watched him slowly bring it towards his face. I sighed and started to smile when he abruptly yanked my pinky finger back. I heard and felt the bone break followed by the sharp agony shoot up my finger. "Aggghhhh!"

"You give up now?" he asked.

Bracing myself, I shook my head. My left arm was immovable and he had my right arm in his hand. My right leg was in a splint and my left leg was on the other side of my body. I was pretty much helpless. I laid back and shut my eyes tight, waiting for the pain.

"You'd seriously let me break all your fingers?" he asked. I nodded, my eyes still closed. "And your toes?" I grimaced with the thought but still nodded. "You're seriously fucking insane."

"They'd heal in a few days." I told him, opening my eyes to meer his.

"Just tell me what's going on." he said again.

"No." I ground out. "Just killed me."

"I can't." he said in an angry tone. "You're defenseless."

I yanked my my right hand from his now loosened grasp and slapped him as hard as I could, causing more pain to shoot through my broken pinky. He didn't move. "Defenseless!" I screeched. "You wait...in two days when I'm not so defenseless, I'll come back here and kill every single one of you!"

His face grew dark then. But before he could even say a word, a blonde blur flew in the door, yanking me from the couch and slamming me into the wall hard enough for me to hear a pop in my shoulder blade. I grit my teeth against the pain to muffle my grunt of pain. "What'd you say?" she snarled in my face, holding me by my shoulders against the wall.

"Rosalie, stop!" Jasper said from behind her. Suddenly, everyone was in the room. The doctor was trying to calm her down but she kept glaring at me.

"I said...I'll come back here when I'm healed and kill every. single. one. of you." I snapped in her face and my body started to tremble. It hurt, badly and I grit my teeth again.

She yanked me forward and slammed me again. "Do you know that I could snap your neck like a twig right now?" she seethed.

I jut my chin out. "Then fucking do it already!"I screamed in her face.

As mad as she was, I could tell that this surprised her.

"She's trying to make you kill her." Jasper whispered into her ear. "You're giving her exactly what she wants." Rosalie dropped me like a scalding hot pan and I started to crumble to the floor. Jasper grabbed me before I could hit and carried me back to the couch.

I'd been so fucking close and now I was back to where I started. I couldn't imprint on a fucking vampire, it just wasn't fair. Now the pack that already hated me would just hate me more. I'd lose my brother and bitchy mom. And I'd probably be killed by said vampire.

So just kill me already. Let me go down as a crazy shifter who tried to take all the vamps down alone. Being a cautionary tale was better than being ridiculed and outcast by people who already hated me.

As everyone started to crowd around the sofa, the doctor got down on his knees by my side and popped my finger back into place, fashioning a miniature splint around it. "My shoulder is dislocated." I whispered to him, angry at myself for needing his help. He popped it back in and stood, walking to a plush chair across from me.

"So...Leah, is it?" I nodded. "Why don't you tell us what this is all about." he said kindly.

I felt tears start to prickle my eyes and wished I could slap myself straight without hurting myself again. "Have you ever heard of an imprint?"


	11. Calm down

**Leah's POV**

"Yes, we have." the doctor said in his all-business tone. I nodded and looked down, not wanting to look them in the face as I made a fucking fool out of myself.

I looked down, straight at a lightly tanned breast. I flinched. "Holy shit!" I screamed. "I'm still naked! You couldn't cover me or something?" I asked Jasper. They all started laughing.

My blood boiled, and I started to shake. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Stay mad enough to block, not made enough to accidentally phase. I tried to calm myself down but I kept seeing their laughing faces. Did they not understand that this was my fucking life! Not a fucking joke.

"Leah, please." the doctor started to say. "Don't be angry." I felt my body trembling harder. Where does he get off, telling me to calm down!

"What's wrong with her?" Jasper asked. I'd never trembled this hard. Never fought the phase this hard.

"Ugh!" I grunted. It hurt. It hurt so bad. Like the first time I'd ever phased. Like my bones were slowly being pulled out of their sockets one by one.

"What's going on?" Jasper wanted to know. If I wouldn't have been so angry, I think I would've smiled at his concern. Then I remembered how he'd watched Sam beat me and the urge left.

"She's going to phase." the doctor warned.

"Phase?" the big brunette male asked.

"Shape shift!" Dr. Fang yelled. "Back up."

So they did, all backing a few feet away from me as I practically seisured on the couch. I screamed.

"She didn't scream when she did it earlier!" Rosalie complained.

"I think she's trying to fight it." the doctor said. Jesus! Would phasing with broken bones hurt as bad as resisting the phase? Maybe I should just let it happen...but then would my bones have to be reset again?

I screamed. "Seth! Seth! Help me!"

"Seth isn't here." the doctor said soothingly. "Leah, do you know where you are?"

"For fucks sake, Doc, I'm not retarded! I'm-_" _I paused to scream. " I'm trying to calm down._"_

They all chuckled a little but the doctor scooted closer to me. "Good. That's good. Think of this Seth person-"

"Her brother." the mind-reader interrupted.

"Think of your parents-" My dad flashed before my eyes, clutching his heart and falling to the ground. I screamed again, feeling a new rush of anger.

"Jasper, control her feelings." the motherly woman said.

"They're too strong." he complained, "I'm trying." He stepped forward. "Okay, don't think of your parents." Jasper said quickly, sidling up beside me. He held the unbroken fingers on my right hand. "Think of Seth. He loves you, right?"

"Yeah." I gasped.

"Think about him telling you that he loves you." he said, his voice thick and warm. Images rushed through my head. Seth clawing at the dirt, trying to help me when Sam had Quil attack me. Seth cuddling up with me at night after Sam and Emily had got together, rocking me in his arms even when I was five years older, therefore much bigger. Seth at my high-school graduation, cheering from the stands by himself. "Think of how he makes you feel."

And then, as if he'd flipped the switch on a electric chair, my breathing slowed down, and I was able to stop thrashing, my heart clenching as I thought about my loving baby brother. My anger was gone, only remnants of it slowly fading away. The pain subsided as much as it could- I still had several broken bones- and Jasper pulled his hand from mine.

"Now I can give you some morphine," the doctor started, "but i-"

"Give it to me." I said quickly, smiling the best I could. "Please."

He smiled back. "Okay."

**Jasper's POV**

Carlisle gave her a shit ton of morphine, but it still didn't put her out. "Does the pain at least feel bearable?" he asked her.

She smiled and rotated her shoulder. "Bearable?" she asked, smiling really big. "Doc, that shit rules. I feel like a superhero." She sat up quickly, threw a hand to her head and squeezed her eyes shut, slumping back down.

"Watch it there, superhero." Emmett chuckled behind me.

"It's euphoria." Carlisle explained. "An unusual pleasant feeling. A pretty common side effect. She might be a little dizzy too."

I nodded, still watching Leah as she grinned up at me. "What?" I asked.

She just grinned and shook her head. "Oh, nothing."

"Oh God, Jasper, I think she has a crush on you." Rosalie quipped. I didn't look back at her, instead watching Leah closely to gauge her reaction. A twinkle lit up her eyes. Even with morphine, that fire was there.

She let out a little _pfft. _"Crush?" she asked, as if that was the dumbest idea in the world. I looked away as she started talking. It's not like I cared what the girl thought of me, anyway.

"Sure you don't." Edward murmured. I shot him a glare.

"I don't have crushes, Rosa-lee." she said emphatically. "I've been in love once. And then I imprinted. I don't crush."

Edward gasped suddenly and snickered. "Can you hear her thoughts now?" I asked. Leah looked over as Edward nodded. She growled but couldn't stay serious too long.

"You're really nice. You know that, Edward?" she asked, completely serious as she gave him a pleasant little smile. Did she like Edward or something? Is that why he laughed?

I turned around again, trying hard not to glare. "What is she thinking?"

Edward shrugged. "I don't think you want to know."

"So I was right?" I asked. Surprisingly, my heart sank a little. He shook his head and it was up again that quick. What the hell was wrong with me?

Edward looked me dead in the face and rose his brows. "You wanna know?" I nodded my head quickly, getting tired of his little games. He chuckled at my thoughts. Shaking his head slightly, as if he had no idea how it could happen, he said,"She's imprinted on you."

Dead silence. Except for Leah's tripled heartbeat and her quick breaths. Even the morphine wasn't dulling her anxiety. It hit me right on, almost making me stagger, especially when combined with the shock that I was feeling. And then, almost like a flower blossoming, my heart seemed to open a little. Just a little, like waiting for the sun to shine on it so it could grow more. But Leah couldn't see that in my emotionless face. I couldn't even find a way to tell her. She was so anxious, and then like a switch was flipped, she got angry.

Really, really angry. "Calm down." I started, facing her. The anger seemed to flee from her when I looked her in the face, but some was still there.

"Do you know what I've went through to keep that a secret?" she growled at Edward. Her anger was already building back up rapidly."Oh, yeah, of course you do. You were there. You were all there!" She glared around the room. "Did you like the show? Watching me get pushed down by my Alpha? Put in my place?" Esme gasped, but Leah was hysterical and she kept pushing. "You like watching me get chewed on? Did you have a nice little laugh about that too?"

She sat up, squeezing her eyes shut to fight the dizziness. I fell on my ass from the dizziness she projected onto me. She pulled the cover Esme had brought tight around her. "Huh?" she screamed. "Did you like watching me get attacked while my little brother watched? Did you like watching empath boy break my arm?" She looked to me. "Did you like breaking my finger?" Her anger was seeping into my pores like steam and I fought against the pull to indulge in that anger. I took a deep breath the same time she did and she glared into my eyes. Hers were filled with rage and hurt and disappointement and it stabbed at my chest. "Did you like breaking me?"


	12. God hates me!

**Jasper's POV**

I stared up at Leah's face from my position on the floor for a long minute, expecting her rant to last forever, but she didn't say anything else. She kept staring at me, seriously waiting for an answer to her question. _Did you like breaking me?_

"No!" I shouted, feeling and sounding horrified. It was all I could think of. "Of course we didn't want you to get hurt. I thought he'd tell you to stop and you would. Maybe curse at you. I never expected him to fight you."

"No one knew what an imprint was." Carlisle said, trying to protect me.

"And we sure as hell didn't know he was yours." Edward chimed in.

"So maybe you should calm your wolfy ass down." Rosalie said seriously.

Anything that Carlisle and Edward had made Leah reconsider saying, Rosalie obviously stopped it, because I felt the rage sweep me up again, all flowing from Leah.

She looked indignant as she gaped at Rosalie for a moment and then her mouth opened again, she looked to me as if nobody had spoke since I had and I held my breath."He didn't fight me." she bellowed furiously. "A fight would've been both of us going at each other. I couldn't move. It's not like I decided to listen to him because he is my Alpha. I literally could. not. move." she said bitterly. "Do you understand that? I was practically paralyzed...and Seth had to sit there and watch me get attacked while I was helpless. His older sister, the one person that's supposed to be strong enough to protect him...and I couldn't even protect myself. All that while you stood there and watched without even a flicker of emotion. You couldn't even muster up an inkling of horror. So you don't care for me...you weren't angry, I get that! But just the sight of a male ripping at a paralyzed female should have got some kind of emotion from you. How can you act all uppity and better than other vampires? Sure, you don't kill humans," she whispered the last sentence but I felt her anger pulsating as her eyes darkened on me, "but you're still a monster."

Finally, she stood from the couch, balancing on her good leg while I felt the dizziness threaten to push her back down. I stood from the ground quickly and grabbed her arm to help her stand. She yanked her arm away, not caring that the action was too much for her dizzy and injured body to take. She fell back onto the couch but I grabbed her before she hit too hard and lowered her down, her angry eyes never leaving me.

As soon as her butt touched the material, she shrunk back from me and for the first time since I stopped drinking from people...I _felt _like a monster.

But I'm not! Right?

"So, you've imprinted on a monster?" I asked her in a low voice, trying to show her that it couldn't be true. Someone with so many morals couldn't possibly imprint with someone that had none. Why I felt the need to prove it to her was beyond me.

"Yes, I have." she said, a bitter laugh twisting her lips into a grimace. "God hates me! He took my boyfriend and best friend from me and put them together. He took my father from me and left us with a bitchy mother. He lets Seth- one of the two people I care for- watch me get beaten. While the other watches too. A-"

"You care for me?" I interrupted, still quite shocked by the idea. Imprinting was against her will, but if she _actually_ cared...

"Let me rephrase that." she said quickly. "Seth is one of the two people that I _choose_ to care for. Seth and Jacob. And he had to watch too." She heaved a big sigh. "And then he _forces_ me to care about you... who also watched. But you did it with a smirk on your face. He forces me to imprint on _you." _She said again, trembling. "Someone who can sense any emotion that anyone could ever have, but doesn't seem to actually _feel_ anything."

"Leah..." I said, trying to soothe her and warn her at the same time, "You have to understand that we're natural enemies." _I don't want to like you, even if I already do. _

"You think I don't know that!" she yelled, trembling again. How could she possibly be able to do this with so much morphine in her system? She took a few calming breaths and sat there in silence for a few moments. I tried to probe into her but the anger seemed to trample any other emotions she had.

I went to Edward's chair. "What's she thinking now?" I whispered to him, so low that not even the other vampires in the room would hear.

"She's keeping me out again." he said slowly. I looked back to Leah who had her eyes closed, brow furrowed in concentration, and clenching her fists in the blanket around her. She was keeping me out too. I was now positive that the anger had to do with that... although I wasn't sure if she was keeping _me _out purposely.

"Leah..." I started again.

"Shut up." she hissed, clenching the sheet tighter. The anger that had been like a hum all around her, which I'd escaped most of by backing away to Edward, suddenly rushed out like a wave, crashing on the walls of the room and lapping back towards me. I was drowning in it.

"Stop!" I screamed at her. Her eyes flickered open and the waves settled but they were still there. "I won, now you tell me right now how you're doing that. What kind of mind trick are you doing?"

Her gaze was steely but she shrugged. "I don't go back on my word. You won... but I'm not doing a mind trick. I'm just being angry."

My gaze narrowed. "You're projecting your feelings onto me." I accused.

She shook her head slowly like she pitied me. "No. I'm not. I swear." Her steady angered heartbeat never went uneven or quickened more, and the look in her eyes was angry but honest.

"I don't understand."

"I think maybe her emotions are linked closer to you because of the imprint." Carlisle spoke up.

"No." Leah said quickly. "If I was an empath, that would make sense. The Imprint has no effect on the Imprint-ee. We usually have to win our Imprint over by showing our affection." She looked to me. "I have no intention on showing you any affection." She scoffed. "And I have no intention of winning you over."

"So, you can refuse the imprint then?" Carlisle asked, sounding genuinely curioius.

The daggers in her eyes aimed at him. "No." she seethed.

"Okay...so what are you going to do?" Edward asked.

Leah rolled her eyes. "That was the reason I was asking for you to say 'I need you to leave me alone.' If that was what you needed, it would fulfill the imprint. And I could leave you alone."

"Oh."

"So?" she asked. My eyes flashed up to meet her steely gaze.

"What?"

"Release me." she ordered. That little flower in my heart closed up.

I stared at her for a long minute, wanting to deny her request. But that would just prove I _was_ a monster. That I was forcing her to be tied to me. And why exactly did I want her to be tied to me anyway? She widened her eyes. "Well?"

"I don't need you here. I need you to leave." I told her. I guess I expected to feel something. But besides my own uneasiness and disappointment, I didn't fell a tie breaking or a chain that kept us together falling free. I was almost convinced that it didn't work when a huge smile lit up her face. Her eyes twinkled, this time with joy, and I'm sure mine got darker. She should love to be imprinted to me! She should want to, right? Or was I really that bad? Is that why Alice had left me too?

Her face dropped for a moment and I felt her nervousness. I knew she was thinking it could be a joke. She was thinking I would tell her that I wanted her and keep her from going. To my understanding, I could have her back with only a word. But while I was tempted, I would never do that to her. Never make her think that her views of me were true. Her nervousness was still there but she pushed it down, getting happy again. Her smile would've made my breath hitch if I breathed.

She looked up to me then and her smile slowly dissolved until she was just looking worried. "What's wrong?" she asked, immediately looking uncomfortable for asking but keeping her gaze on me. I wanted to tell her but there were too many people in the room. It was too late now anyway.

I stood and left the room.


	13. Smoke screen

**Jasper's POV**

I went to my new bedroom- Edward's old room. Because although it was wierd that he was sharing the room I had shared with Alice, it would've been wierder to stay in the room by myself and remember our time together everytime I was alone.

We'd made the switch in the earlier hours of the morning. I kept all of Edward's furniture since Alice and I had shared a bed, and now that he had a mate he would need more than his black leather sofa. He'd taken his music collection but left the stereo since Alice had the exact one. I took my own music and possessions from Alice's room and they were in stacks on the couch now.

I couldn't just sit down with all the things around and I didn't want to. I needed to keep busy.

In our huge house, I knew they could still hear me up there, but at least they couldn't see me. At least I didn't have to see Edward's face when he read my thoughts.

How could I be so infatuated with this girl? I'd met her yesterday morning/afternoon and we fought. Then she comes to my house and raises hell. She gets beat down that night and then shows up again this morning? I'd barely known the girl for an entire twenty four hours and she'd already been in two fights. I glanced at the clock and it was noon. Okay...exactly twenty-four hours.

And now I wasn't even thinking of Alice and Edward. I was thinking of her. She was consuming me. Even from my room I could feel her anxiety above everything and everyone else. Was it because she thought herself unsafe in a house of vampires?

No. She hadn't even seemed this anxious during our fight.

And why were her emotions so overwhelming? So intense and vivid? I had trouble keeping from reacting as if they were my own emotions and I had yet to try my influences on her. But I doubted they would work. Her emotions were so strong.

After clearing all my clothes from the couch and putting them into my dresser, I stacked my CDs and hung my own art on the walls. I moved the couch to be beside the window and put my collection of books on the dresser. When it was all done, and the place looked more like my cowboy-ish civil war style than Edward's quiet mime-like sophistication, I plopped down on the sofa and listened intently to the voices.

My family was still downstairs, although most were in the livingroom. I listened.

"She's pretty." Emmett said slowly, followed by a quick _whap_ that I assumed was Rosalie slapping him in the head. "I'm just saying."

"She smells like wet dog." Rosalie complained.

"She's very interesting." Edward said, sounding unfocused. "I've only been able to get in her mind when she's doped up or unconscious. And she has all these little stories playing out in her head that have never happened...according to Jasper."

"How would he know?" Emmett asked.

"Because they're all about him."

"So, she's bat-shit crazy?" Rosalie asked, her voice already believing that it was true. Edward must've shook his head, because Rosalie got impatient. "Then what?" she snapped.

"It's always of Jasper killing her brother. Over and over. And in gruesome ways."

Emmett sounded horrified. "Why would she want her brother dead?"

Alice sighed, annoyed with his idiocy. "She doesn't." Edward explained. "After she does it...her mind goes blank. It makes her so angry, that she can't see straight. I think she does it to keep me out." He paused. "Maybe to keep Jasper out too. You know...her imprint killing the most important person in her life."

"How do you know she likes her brother?" Emmett asked. I sighed along with Alice and Edward and Rosalie that time.

"Hmm...because he was the only wolf crying for her last night. She called _his_ name when she was in pain...Her dad's dead and she said her mom was a bitch. She straight out said that her brother and some Jacob kid were the only people she cared for at all. And oh yeah," Edward said sarcastically, "I can read minds!"

"Hmmm." was all Emmett answered.

I was downstairs within seconds. "That makes complete sense!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in relief. "She's using her anger as a smoke screen. To keep us out." The relief faded quickly. "But she was doing it even after we found her secret."

"Maybe she has more."Rosalie suggested.

"I think she's only doing it now because she doesn't want me in her mind. Or for you to know her feelings. It makes her defensive, so I'm only assuming that she feels threatened and vulnerable."

I pursed my lips and thought that over. That explained why everytime she closed her eyes, looking like she was trying to calm down, she would hit me with a new wave of rage. But it still didn't explain why I could feel everything else so well. Her happiness, nervousness...I could feel it all, as if they were my own emotions.

We were all quiet, and in the silence I heard Esme and Carlisle talking to Leah in his study. "Do you want another blanket dear?" Esme asked.

"Uh...yes. That'd be great." Leah answered. She sounded freaked out.

"And something to eat?" Esme continued.

"You have food here?" she asked, a little shocked but suddenly very excited. I hadn't realized that she was so hungry.

"Well, one of our sons had her girlfriend over the other day. She's human, so..."

"Werewolves eat much more than humans." Leah said in a low voice. She sounded a little embarassed. Weird, because I never pegged her as that type. She was a vicious little she-wolf.

"That makes sense." Carlisle said quickly.

"So?" Esme asked. "Any preferences? We could go out and get whatever you like."

"Oh, no!" Leah exclaimed. "Just whatever you have would be fine." Just then there was a low gurgling sound and Leah laughed. I think my breath hitched, hearing her laugh for the first time without being mocking or bitter. Esme laughed too. "My stomach's agreeing with me. I haven't eaten today, so I'm not going to be picky."

Esme flashed by us on her way to the kitchen. I heard her immediately start digging through the refridgerator.

"So, you're okay with staying here until you heal?" Carlisle asked her.

"Sure." she answered. "It'll just take me a few hours to heal."

"Then I'll have one of my children drive you home." he told her.

"I live close to the woods. They could just drop me at the treaty line." she suggested.

"That sounds great. Now, do you need to call your parents or anything, so they won't worry?"

Her heartrate sped up a little. "Yeah. I need to call my brother."

"Her father died." Edward chipped in suddenly. _Yeah, we know Edward. God, I heard her say it too, remember?_ Edward just smirked and continued. "Well, did you know that earlier, when Carlisle was trying to calm her, and he said to think about your parents, she was thinking of it?" I shook my head. _Did you see it?_ "Yeah. He died last year of a heartattack. He was like the hero in her life."

"And her mom?" I found myself asking.

"She doesn't really get along with her mom." There was a long pause. "But Seth-her brother, he is the most important thing to her. Even with the imprint, she's forcing herself to put him above you."

I was a little stunned by that. This boy that she loved completely for so long was being pushed to the background? How strong was this damn Imprint?

"Her soul craves you, Jasper." Edward said softly. "She finds herself wanting to make you happy even when her brain can't process the sudden interest."

"I still don't get it." I told him, throwing my hands up. This was so complicated.

"Okay." he said quickly. "It's like...if her brother died. She would cry because she loved him so much and missed him. She'd remember all the times they had and it would seem like her heart hurt. But if you died...she would physically hurt...bad. Her soul would feel incomplete...like she'd just lost her only chance of happiness. A part of herself." He paused for a moment. "At least that's what Carlisle's mind was thinking. That if she lost her Imprint, it would hurt."

"Unless she chooses to get rid of it." I said, sounding more bitter than I should.

"You mean unless you choose to let her get rid of it." Edward pointed out.


	14. The one with the scars?

**Leah's POV**

It was around three in the afternoon when I finally thought I was healed enough to move around. It was wierd that normally, I would've only been up for an hour or two and all these things had already happened today.

I had went to sleep around noon and the three hour nap had helped. I sat up from the sofa and pulled the splint from my finger and wiggled it. Yep. Healed but a little stiff and sore.

I carefully removed the splint from my right leg, my left arm, and rotated my left shoulder. Everything was sore...but it wasn't too painful anymore. I glanced over to the Doctor's desk. A small stack of clothes sat there. Before I could even stand, the wife leech came in with a huge plate of spaghetti. Earlier she'd made me some eggs...but I _was_ kinda hungry again.

"You like spaghetti?" she asked, handing the plate over.

I grinned. "Spaghetti is okay but I could eat it everyday for the rest of my life if I had garlic bread." I picked up the small slices of bread on the edge of the bread and took a big bite. "Oooooohhhh."

The leech giggled. "Well, I'll take that as a compliment."

"You're a great cook." I had to admit. I spun a little spaghetti on my fork and took the bite as she sat down beside me on the couch.

"Do you feel better, dear?"

I looked over, chewing the bite of spaghetti I'd stuffed in my mouth. After I swallowed, I nodded. "Yeah. A little stiff but I'll get over it."

She smiled. "You're a very brave girl."

"Did you bring the clothes?" I asked, feeling a little awkward by her flattery. She nodded. "Thank you."

"You and Rosalie have a very similar body type. Although..."

"Her clothes aren't exactly my style." I finished. "I have to phase alot and my clothes usually get ruined quickly. But even if I wanted...I couldn't afford the sort of thing she wears. But then again, I don't know if I'd be comfortable wearing things like that."

"I got some brand new underwear and a pair of jeans from her. The underwear weren't thongs so she refused to wear them. And the jeans are new and a little bigger than she likes...meaning her size. So you should be able to fit them. But the tee shirt is Edward's. Rosalie doesn't really believe in plain tee shirts. And I wasn't sure if hot pink halter tops were your style."

I had to laugh at all of that. She laughed too. "They won't mind?"

"The tee shirt was too small for Edward and Rosalie has too many clothes already." I nodded. Usually, I'd refuse charity but I couldn't really let those things just sit around and never be used when I was naked. Even if they were practically the clothes that no one else wanted... that actually made me feel better.

"Thank you."

"Esme." she informed me. "And you're very welcome, Leah. Are you going to call your family soon?"

I jumped up, wobbled a little, and righted myself. Shit! "I better do that now." Esme nodded and excused herself from the room. I went straight to the phone on the desk and called Seth.

"Leah?" he asked quickly. "Is that you?"

"Yeah. Hey, Seth."

"Fucking cow! Leah, the whole pack is searching for you. You had patrols at noon."

"I know. I'm...at the Cullen place. C-"

"Leah! What the hell!"

I sighed, ignoring his outburst. "Can you meet me at the treaty line in an hour?"

He was silent for a long minute. "Of course, Leah. But what the hell are you doing?"

"Seth...I imprinted on one of them."

He gasped. "Are you serious?"

"Duh! Why else would I come here again? I hadn't told him before but now he knows. He released me."

"Released you?" he asked. "Of course...the only wolf ever to try to get out of her imprint."

"Shut up!" I snapped.

**Jasper's POV**

The telephone conversation sure as hell didn't sound like Leah loved her brother. I could hear his voice on the phone, even from the livingroom. We all could.

We'd been talking about her of course, when I heard her murmuring. We all quieted and listened intently, able to make out her soft (for a change) voice and the booming, crackly voice over the phone.

"Of course...the only wolf ever to try to get out of her imprint." Her brother, I suspected.

"Shut up!" she snapped at him. "You know this is wierd. The imprint is supposed to be about breeding. Vampires can't even breed. It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe we were wrong." he said loudly. For her to have extra sensitive senses, why would he yell? He was like Emmett. "Maybe it's about love. Your soulmate."

"Seth, shut up. You don't know." she said quickly. "Look, I got into a fight with him and I have to take a shower. But you will meet me right? I'm a little sore and I'm not sure if I can walk too good." She whispered. I knew she didn't want anyone to know she was vulnerable, so the fact she was telling him sort of showed the love.

"Why are you sore?" he asked.

"Why do you think?" she asked.

"EWWWWWW! Leah! That's gross!" he yelled.

"No! Seth, Jesus! I'm talking about the fight! He practically beat my ass." she said, again in the whispered tone. Although...I was a little dissappointed that she wasn't sore from something else. Fighting with Leah Clearwater was fun...I could only assume fucking her would be tons better.

There was a long pause. "One on one?" he asked. He sounded disbelieving. Was she really that good of a fighter?

"Yes." she said. "I mean, I wasn't trying to kill him. Just pin him. And he's ..." she lowered her voice, "really good. He's like a soldier or something."

"Well, your soulmate would have to be a strong guy...Which one was it?" her brother asked. "Was he at the clearing?"

"All the Cullens were there. He's the blonde one. Not the dad, but the other one. The one that always looks ready to attack. With the strong jaw and the little curls in his hair and-"

"The one with the scars?" her brother interrupted. I felt my breath catch. Not only because he noticed the scars...which most humans only saw in certain light...but from all the things she'd said. I was usually described as the blonde pained-looking one by humans, or the scarred one by other Vampires.

"Yeah." she said, her voice sounding a little dreamy, even in her whisper. "Aren't they cute?"

"Uh..."

"Wow! Nevermind! Seth, this Imprint is fucking with me dude. I have to get out of here."

"So you don't really think he's cute?" Seth asked.

There was a very long pause, in which my sisters and brothers glanced to me looking worried. "I...Seth, shut up. Talk crap all you want but you know he's cute. Well...you're a guy, so maybe not, but believe me when I say that girl's would drop panties for him. My point is that the Imprint is just making everything else about him-even the parts I hate-endearing somehow. I mean, who gets turned on by the look in a guy's eye when they're beating your ass? Who I ask? That would be me. Because this Imprint is turning me into a pansy bitch."

"Okay, okay. I get it. He's cute...he's hot, and you wanna bang him. Stop talking about it. Go take your shower and I'll meet you at the line at four-thirty. But what do you want me to tell the pack?"

"I guess the truth. You can't block your mind so they'll find out sooner or later." She sighed. "I wish you could block your mind."

"You never taught me."

"There's no trick...just try."

"Whatever."

"Shut up." Wow, they really were siblings.

Suddenly, her brother's voice took on a very worried tone. "They're gonna hurt you again." he whispered.

From the livingroom, I could hear her breathing stop for a moment. "I know." she whispered back. "So...maybe you should give me an extra hour. I'll go at four-thirty and take my _punishment_ and then you can come pick me up at five-thirty to make sure I get home."

"Leah...I can't leave you alone."

"And you can't help. It's not your fault. But you can't. And I'm not going to let you watch again." Her voice was very stern and her brother was quiet, like he couldn't argue with her. "Okay?"

"If I'm there...they won't go too far." he finally whispered. "Who knows what they'd do if I wasn't."

"Jake wouldn't let them." she disagreed.

"Jacob is a good guy...in theory. He's also a fucking coward." her brother snarled. She was quiet so I assumed that it was true. "I'm going to be there to get you at four-thirty Leah. They shouldn't be able to hit you for visiting your Imprint."

"Well...when your Imprint is a tattle-tale and you've been warned to leave him alone but you don't...that is a reason for anger but that _punishment_ should be illegal."

"It is, Leah." the boy told his sister. "It's called assault. And how is your Imprint a tattle-tale? Didn't you attack him? Isn't that why he wanted you to stay away?"

"You don't know the whole story." she snapped.

"Because you wouldn't tell me!" he snapped back.

"Seth..." she sounded like she was about to let him down easy.

"See you at four-thirty. Love you Leah." And then it was silent. That boy had spunk!

"No that sonofabitch did not just hang up on me." I heard her dialing numbers into the phone and it rang over and over until a voice mail came on.

"This is the Clearwater residence. We're not here right now but-" Leah slammed the phone down.

"I know you leeches all heard that. I know you're out there laughing!" she hissed. Still, it was a sort of whisper. Like yelling was too disrespectful. But why did she care about us? "Sorry about slamming the phone, Doc." Oh...she didn't care about us. But she liked my parents.

I heard her mutter some more before the study door opened and Leah came out, wrapped in that blanket and holding a stack of clothes. She walked stiffly, but proudly by us, without a word, and up the steps.

I could feel jealousy from Rosalie and Alice, I guess for her figure. Interest and desire from Emmett and Edward...although Emmett was more desire than interest and Edward was the other way around. Carlisle was concerned and Esme was...proud? With Leah...I could feel more than the others. She was, of course, angry, and this time it wasn't forced rage it was more like irritation. I could also sense anxiety, fear, and sorrow.

The feelings weren't very strong compared to her anger. And that anger seemed to consume me. I was tired of this shit.

**Leah's POV**

I closed the bathroom door behind me and dropped the towel. Cutting the water on, I slid in before it adjusted. I wasn't sure if I needed a wake-me-up cold shower or a sooth-my-aching-back hot one. I got in, feeling the hot water beating on my back and sighed. Yeah...this would definitely work.

The door creaked and I froze.

"Leah?"

I flung the shower curtain open, coming face to face with my Imprint. "Jasper?"


	15. I want to kiss you

**Jasper's POV**

"Jasper?" she asked. The way she said it made her sound unsure that it was really my name. I chuckled a little and her brows furrowed more. "What are you doing in here?"

Amazingly, now of all times, she wasn't angry. She was _always_ angry, but I walk in on her shower and she was...a little embarrassed...and aroused. I could even smell the arousal.

She'd thrown the shower curtain open and I watched her intently. I'd already seen her naked...a few times. But now...I wasn't watching her get beat in horror or preparing to fight her myself, or watching her in pain on the couch in Carlisle's study.

Her wounds were healed. She had a few bruises and I knew her body was probably sore, but it was different now. It was wierd that before, her nakedness bothered her so much. She'd felt humiliated...but now she had an anxiousness to her embarassment. Like she thought I might not like what I saw.

But really...she was perfect. Like Rosalie, she was a little taller than average women with a curvaceous model-like build. She was more toned though. Wierd that she could seem so feminine after all the brawls she'd been in. Her hair was midnight black and went a little past her shoulders in soft waves. Her skin was a beautiful tanned color with only a slight reddish tint but I could see in her face that she was definitely Quilette. Her cheekbones were high and her hazel-brown eyes were big.

My eyes roamed over her cute little feet, up her long legs and stopped at the trimmed patch of black hair over her mound. I felt the anxiety amp up and continued my appraisal, over the flare of her hips and the indention of her waist and then to her perky breasts. Her throat cleared, to get my attention from her body but I still glanced at her frail-looking shoulders and her slender neck before locking on her eyes.

Her eyes were the only thing that betrayed her seemingly girly appearance. They were challenging and fiery and I knew just by looking in them that she was far from a dainty little flower. She smiled a little when I met her eyes and her perfectly white teeth gleamed.

She wasn't a vampire. She wasn't perfect...I should be seeing all types of flaws on her body. But I wasn't. She was otherworldy beautiful. It didn't seem like it could be real. But it was.

"Uh...Jasper?" she finally asked, getting more anxious under my gaze. I quirked a brow. "What did you need?" she asked, her voice throaty from arousal. I was already hard, but somehow I got harder.

"Oh! The anger thing..."

"My temper?"she asked, her brow rose. This was obviously a soft spot.

"So I'm not the first to confront you about this?" I asked, a little amused.

She smiled for a moment and then her face got hard again. I felt the light-heartedness crash down too. She really was forcing this. "My mom tried to put me in anger management classes." she confessed.

"And?"

"And what?" she snapped. Seeing my shock, she quickly calmed herself. She sighed. "I didn't go, obviously."

"I'm talking about your false anger." I clarified, getting back on topic. She furrowed her brow like she didn't understand. "Leah...I can feel the guilt on you right now. Don't play dumb."

"What about the false anger?" she asked. Her tone, once again, was angry.

"Stop doing it."

Her brow slanted in that way that said _make me_. "No." she said.

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you reading my emotions."

"I'm not reading them, Leah. I'm feeling them." She looked a little shocked. "I can feel it all. From everyone around me...yours even more for some reason. And it hurts."

Her mouth hung open a little and her eyes got big and welled with tears. The unexpected reaction and sudden guilt and sorrow that flamed in her had me staggering back. I tried to tune her out...like I did with Edward's mopiness alot. But even when I did, I could feel it a little. Like static. "It hurts?" she croaked.

I nodded and she must've seen truth in my eyes because she flew at me, grabbing my hands in her wet, hot ones. Her face was pleading as she looked up to me. "I'm so sorry." she panicked. "I thought you only sensed it. I-I didn't know."

"It's okay." I said quickly, before she could continue. "Just stop doing it."

"Okay." she agreed immediately. Her arms slid under mine and wrapped around my torso. Her body was crushed to mine and water soaked from her hair through my shirt.

I pulled away from her and when she looked up to me, already sending out little static waves of sorrow, I realized she thought I was rejecting her. And I felt the knowing in her too. She'd never expected me to accept her at all.

Her face turned up to me and before I even thought, my lips crushed down on hers. The feelings that burst into me from her weren't painful this time. Joy was formost. A blissful joy, like she'd just had an orgasm. And then excited arousal. I felt a little confusion, like she wasn't sure if it was her or the imprint that wanted this, but beyond that was longing. For more. To go farther.

The warmth and softness of her was still a shock, even when I knew full-well that she would be that way. Her mouth was almost scorching my cold lips.

My arms wrapped around her wet back and I picked her up and sat her on the sink. Her legs went around my waist and pulled me in close as she whimpered into my mouth. I groaned as my dick twitched again and she ground her hips against me. I pulled back long enough for her to gasp for air as I started trailing kisses down her neck.

She whimpered and clutched my head close to her. My teeth scraped along her skin and she shivered. "I'm not going to bite you." I assured her. But she didn't seem scared of that. "Well...I'm not going to _drink_ from you." I corrected, bitting into her shoulder hard enough to get a gasp from her. I knew not all people liked those things, but I did. And she struck me as the type to like it rough too.

If not...I wasn't sure I could do it. Playful nips was all I'd had for all my years with Alice. I was tired of that.

"I know." she said, her voice seductive. She craned her neck back, inviting, and I bit at the hollow of her throat. She shivered again and I gripped her hips with my right hand, her neck with my left. The fast pulsing under her neck had me hynotized. I could hear how strong her heart was. I could practically hear the blood gushing through her veins.

My mouth started to water. "Make sure you don't break skin." she said sharply. Well, as sharply as she could as she gasped.

I pulled away. "What?" The way she ordered me wanted me to disobey just in spite.

I was the type to dominate, at least in the bedroom. The dominance I'd had with Alice and Maria was only when I was fucking them. I was submissive to them outside of the bedroom...literally taking orders from Maria and constantly feeling like a puppet on Alice's arm.

But Leah...she didn't seem like she wanted to control me. She seemed like a worthy partner. Hell, a worthy _mate. _

And the fact that she was fighting me for dominance when we were getting intimate was a strange turn on. But I was also tired of being ordered around by women. And if she couldn't even give me _this_...the illusion of dominance...I didn't think the beast in me would have it.

"You don't want to be turned?" I asked, trying to sound amused instead of aggrivated.

Her face softened but she looked conflicted. I could feel it too. "You wouldn't kill my pack would you?" she asked suddenly.

I pulled away further, taking her feet from around my waist. "What the hell are you talking about?"

She bit her lip. "You can't turn me."

"I wasn't going to." I argued.

"No." she said quickly, seeing my aggrivation. "You literally can't. It wouldn't turn me. I'd die." That stopped me in my tracks.

"What?"

"Vampire venom is deadly to animals...and I'm sort of half-animal." she explained. "I didn't used to be...but now I am."

"You're saying that if I bit you ...you'd die. No matter what? Are you sure? Has anyone even tried to turn a shifter?"

"No. But one has been bit before during an attack. They were dragged away before the vampire could drain him. And it killed him."

I was shocked. To say the least. "Like instant death?"

She shook her head, looking at me strangely. "Like...painful, three-days-of-agony death."

"Always three days?" I asked. I don't know why, but I was curious.

"It's only happened once." she told me. "He phased, thinking that in wolf form he would be able to heal better. But he died."

"Then maybe it only killed him because he was an animal at the time."

"He was in pain for three days!"

"It takes four to transform...usually." I told her. "For all you know, he could have came back a vampire. But he ruined it by becoming a wolf."

"If that's the case...he's probably glad he died." she whispered. At my hurt expression, she looked down. "Vampires are our mortal enemies. As soon as we phase, we're conditioned to hate them."

"Do you hate me?" I asked her.

Her nostrils flared. "You know that I don't." She looked me in the eye. "Even the rational part of me is having a hard time just dis-liking you. Not as a vampire...but as a person."

I stepped closer to her, picking her legs back up to my hips. "Are you trying to tell me you have a crush on me?" I teased. She smirked.

"I don't have crushes." she reminded me. "I Imprinted with you. And then I started to like you." I felt an unexpected joy at this. "And now...I want to kiss you."

And then we were back to the kissing. Her hips ground into mine and I held her to me as I explored the warm cavern of her mouth. Her body seemed to be warming me and I hadn't felt warm or cold in so long that I was a little shocked, pressing harder to her to steal more heat. Now that she'd been in human form for a few hours, I could barely smell the dog on her. Her true scent reminded me of the forest still. Trees and pine and crisp air above a rushing stream.

Her hand slid into my pants as if it was the most natural thing in the world and started to stroke me. I growled against her mouth and she smiled. I returned the favor, finding her slick folds with my right hand and teasing her. She growled at me and I finally slid a finger into her.

She was burning hot and flowing with her own juices. I started to slowly pump into her, using my thumb to massage her clit as I entered a second finger. Her muscles were tight around my fingers and she moaned as I curled them inside of her.

"Jasper!" she murmured, detaching from my mouth and burying her face into the crook of my neck. She started to stroke me harder and faster, as if to adjust me to her pace so we could come together. Her left hand wrapped around my shoulders, digging her nails into my back. I was surprised that I could feel it. Even more that it actually hurt...in a good way at the time. She bit into my shoulder hard and I groaned.

I wanted so badly to fuck this girl, but I knew I couldn't. She was still sore. Still healing. So I could at least give her some pleasure. At least as much as she was giving me. I started to pump my fingers into her faster and she got louder.

I knew my family could already hear but I kept it up, listening to her sharp cries like music to my ears.

"Oh God!"she cried just as I exploded, cumming into her hand. A strangled sound, between a groan and a growl, came from my throat and I rested my forehead against her shoulder to regain my unneeded breath and clear my vision, which had seemed to blur sometime during the orgasm.

I was quiet for a long minute, thinking. That hand job had been better than any sex I'd ever had. I didn't know if it was because the intense heat or her domineering yet playful personality. All I knew was that we were very very compatible. So how the hell was I supposed to let her go now?


	16. Promise me

**Leah's POV**

We got to the front door and Jasper suddenly swept me off my feet, literally, bridal style in his arms. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you get home." he said as if it was the obvious answer. "Carlisle told you that I would. And the whole family decided to come along. In case your pack shows up. We'll tell them all the truth. So you won't get another punishment."

When he said the word 'punishment', I could've sworn a tremor went down his body just like it went down mine. Oh yeah...he can feel you. "Sorry." I said absently.

"About?"

"Throwing my feelings on you." I told him seriously.

"It isn't your fault. I manage." he said. His face was so stoic and unemotional. But I sensed that he was a little irritated by the topic, so I tried to lighten the mood.

I can walk." I scolded him.

"I'm surprised after all the beatings you've taken in the last twenty-four hours." he told me. Not a joke. He was dead serious.

"No biggie." I assurred him. His eyes fell on mine and looked disbelieving. "Really."

"Leah...I want you to promise me something." he said suddenly.

I hesitated, but just narrowed my eyes and met his gaze. "What?"

"Try to stay out of fights." he said sternly. "I understand self-defense. But right now, it seems more like self-destruction."

"Because I'm constantly fighting men." I scoffed. "Don't worry...I've been getting better."

"No. Promise me. At least promise me that you'll try." he told me.

I sighed and looked into his eyes. There was no way I could deny him. Or that I could break a promise to him. "I'll _try_." I said specifically. He nodded at that and we started out the door, me still in his arms.

**Jasper's POV**

I carried Leah to the treaty line, my family surrounding us in a protective bubble. I was surprised the most by Rosalie and Alice. Edward and Emmett only wanted what was best for me. They knew how I felt about Leah...or at least, they knew that something was there, so they were backing me up.

Carlisle and Esme were too good of people to let anything happen to Leah undeserved, the fact that I had a connection to her only made them more protective.

But Rosalie...I wasn't exactly sure why, but I think she felt like she could relate to the girl. She stood the closest to me, right by Leah's feet, and I could feel the protectiveness roll off her in waves. For some reason, even though Leah was a shifter, Rosalie liked her.

And then there was Alice. She was jealous of Leah. And a little hurt at my ability to move on so quickly. But at the same time, she was happy for me. Relieved that I had someone. And that made her protective of Leah also.

We appeared at the treaty line, where a group of men were waiting for us. Not wolves this time. All very well built copper-skinned men in cutoff shorts and no shirts. Leah probably didn't even realize that she tensed in my arms but it was hard to miss when accompanied with the fear that started to soak into me from her.

I sent out a wave of calmness and she seemed to relax a little. But not much. Her emotions were always strong.

"Leah!" the man in front called out. "You've been gone all day."

"I know. I went to the Cullens' place early this morning."

"After you were told not to go onto their land at all." he barked.

I set her onto her feet in front of me. She put a hand around her back and caught mine, squeezing it hard before she let go and stepped closer to her pack. She didn't cross the line though, and I felt her fear amp up as she said, "I imprinted, Sam."

He looked completely shocked for a moment, as did all the wolves. One that stood near the back stepped forward. "Leah...that's great. Who is it?"

"Thanks Jake. It's Jasper." she whispered. She looked back at me for a moment and a smile involuntarily tugged at her lips. I smiled back and she looked to her pack brothers. "That's why I had to go."

"A leech!" Sam screeched suddenly.

"Yes. A leech...a vampire." she corrected. Sam shot forward, his toes dipping into the stream that we used as the line between our lands. Leah stood in front of it on our side and I could tell Sam wanted to cross it and go at her.

I guess we all knew that because Carlisle spoke up. "We know Leah is part of your pack. But as of today, she is also part of our family. The one shifter that we have no problem allowing to cross the line onto our land. And since she and Jasper have a bond, if you cross that stream to attack her...we will consider it a break in the treaty. And we will attack you."

"She is _not_ part of your family!" Sam seethed.

"Yes." Alice said quickly, flashing a smile at me. "She is."

"And if you think that the seven of us can't easily kill the eight of you, you're sadly mistaken." Rosalie spoke up.

"There are ten of us." Sam corrected. "And if you think that all of you will survive that fight...you're sadly mistaken as well."

"I won't fight against them." Leah spoke. Her voice was low but determined. "Pack law states that none of you can hurt Jasper. And I won't hurt any of his family either. And I won't let Seth fight in that either."

"Seth has no control in that." Sam stated. Leah just jutted her chin out defiantly.

"He'd hurt us with no problem. How could you let him attack your pack and not fight back?" this came from a wolf that I didn't know.

"Because Paul...the only way he'd attack you is if you started it. They respect the treaty. And I wouldn't fight them because the ten hours I spent at their house, although I broke several bones, was the least painful day I've had since I phased into a fucking wolf. Because while I might have to be in this stupid pack, and in all of your minds, we're not a family. So don't try to make it seem like I'm betraying you."

"You are!" another wolf said.

"Really Jared?" she asked. "Because I feel betrayed everytime you all watch Sam or Quil or whoever pummel me while I can't move. I feel betrayed everytime I hear one of you call me a bitch or cunt. I feel betrayed everytime one of you tries to fight me over the thoughts that I can't control. And you all wonder why I have such mean thoughts about you? Because you treat me like shit. Every single one of you. Except Seth. And Jacob."

There was silence for the longest time. Every single wolf, except Sam, seemed to have guilt rolling around in their gut. "Leah...you know I have to do what he says." one of the boys spoke up.

"I know Quil. But does he forbid you from apologizing afterward? Does he command you to enjoy it so much?"

Quil looked like he may cry. "I felt like I was getting revenge."he admitted. "You were always so mean to me...even before the punishments started."

"Hmmmm..." Leah started sarcastically, "I guess it couldn't have had anything to do with being so angry that my father had just passed away and I was forced into a pack where disobeying anything my ex-boyfriend said was physically impossible to do." Her voice softened. "You guys think of me as a wolf. You seem to forget, when you're being so mean and hurting me that I'm also a girl."

If possible, the guilt doubled at that, and Quil actually started to cry. "I'm sorry."

"Oh my God!" Sam burst. "Quil, don't you see what she's doing? She's trying to guilt-trip you."

"I don't think it's a guilt trip when she's telling the truth." Edward bit out. "Or when the guilt is called for."

**Leah's POV**

"Don't cry." I told Quil. "I forgive you. It's just...you'll do it again. Even if you don't want to." I looked to Sam. "He'll make you. Just like the first few times." When it first started, Quil had been Alpha Commanded. I don't know why he chose Quil. Probably because he was one of the youngest ones so he wasn't too much bigger than me.

I glanced around all the solemn wolves again. Where the fuck was Seth? Of course, I didn't want him to watch me get beat, but during the beatings, his whimpers and wails seemed to be the only thing to hold onto. The only thing to make me stand up at the end. Because I had to make sure he knew I was okay. They were the also the only thing to keep Sam from taking it farther.

And then I heard him. "Wait! Leah! If you haven't crossed, don't do it yet! WAIT!" My brow furrowed. What was taking him so long? I could hear his footsteps, but they weren't running. And I could hear more footsteps coming too.

I took a few steps back, bumping into Jasper's chest. His arm went around my waist and held me in place. And then Seth emerged from the trees, three unmistakable people behind him. I felt tears well up in my eyes as my mother, Billy Black, and Old Quil followed Seth to the front of the group, to Sam.


	17. I hit Leah

**Leah's POV**

Seth was practically running in circles around our Tribal Elders, completely anxious to get there as fast as possible but they couldn't move fast like us. Hell, Billy Black was in a wheelchair and was barely making it on the trails to come out.

The pack looked shocked and quilty at the new arrivals. "Okay." Old Quil started, the only of the elders to have actually been a wolf at one time. He was the most respected. The head of the council. "Would anyone like to tell us exactly what is going on."

"Why are you here?" Sam asked. "Why'd you drag them out here Seth?"

My mother glanced at me and the Vampires behind me, confusion and fear in her eyes. "Leah, baby, what are you doing over there?"

"Mom..." I didn't really know what to say. But I didn't have to say anything. My chatterbox of a brother took over.

"Mom, Leah imprinted on one of the vampires." he said quickly, not sounding at all like it was a burden or anything to be saddened about. I beamed at him. "She went onto their land to explain it to him even though Sam said not to."

"I thought you said something terrible might happen." Old Quil said, looking annoyed.

"It might." Quil said, still crying. He was started to shake a little and I wondered if maybe he was having a nervous breakdown. "I don't want to do it anymore." he continued. "But Sam's going to make me."

"Silence, Quil." Sam Commanded.

To my suprise, Rosalie stepped a little closer. "Here's the thing." she said bluntly. "Your Alpha there is an asshole. You're all worried about us. The 'monsters' we are. But right there is a perfectly average psychopath." She pointed straight at Sam.

"What is this about?" my mom was asking.

"How is that?" Billy Black asked.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Old Quil snapped out.

"Gr-" Quil started again, his voice straining under the wait of the Command. He shut his mouth, unable to say more.

"What is it boy?" Old Quil asked.

"He can't talk." I interjected. "Sam won't let him."

Old Quil looked straight to Sam and rose his brows as if to say 'Release him right now'. Sam stood there for a very long moment, trying to think of something to say. Anyway of saying no without sounding disrespectful and looking more guilty. When he realized there was no way that what Quil wanted to say would be kept secret any longer, Sam sighed. "Go ahead, Quil."

"I hit Leah!" Quil blurted. Old Quil reeled back, his brows still up in disbelief. "She's always been mean to me. And when Sam couldn't control her, he started telling me to do it. And I didn't feel right because it's a girl. So he made me. And after awhile, I just did it when he told me too."

My mom was in the fore-front now. "What do you mean when you say you hit her?"

Seth snorted. "Hit my ass!" he exploded. "Sam was commanding her to stay still and making Quil attack her."

"WHAT!" All three elders boomed at once. My mom looked to me quickly as if to see evidence of a beating. Old Quil looked to his grandson in horror and Billy looked to Jacob with a look that said 'how could you let this happen?' before he actually asked, "Jacob Black, how could you let this happen? You have a sister yourself. How could you allow a girl to be hurt in front of you?"

Jacob looked more horrified than anyone now. "Sam w-"

"No!"Billy screamed. He shook his head as if to clear it. "Seven boys sat here and allowed a wolf to attack a female wolf. Allowed their Alpha to command it? I can't believe this. Even you, Seth?" he asked my brother.

"I couldn't move." Seth said weakly, as if that was no excuse.

"Seth was commanded too, Billy. He tried, but no one could've helped." I said gently. Billy looked at me in horrified astonishment.

"Seth's predicament I understand. He was physically unable. But you're really taking up for the others? For my son?" He looked back to Jacob. "You're the rightful Alpha. The only one able to stop the Command. And you didn't even try. You just stood there. Surely, being bound by the Command to stay put would've been more dignified then not trying at all."

"Leah, why didn't you tell us?" my mom asked. She was close to tears now.

I looked down, completely ashamed. "I really don't know." I murmured, truthfully. Jasper's grip on my waist tightened and I took a few deep breaths, trying to ignore our closeness.

**Jasper's POV**

Leah's little brother had brought the Council. That kid was courageous. He had to know it could have backfired on him and he did it anyway. I was impressed.

"Jacob!" Billy said suddenly. "Will you take your place now?"

"Uh-"

"If you do not, Sam can't be taken down."

"I don't really know, Dad." Jacob murmured. "Being responsible for everyo-"

"Mr. Black?" came from another wolf. What had Leah called him?...Jared! That was it!

"Yes?"

"Sam has no Alpha Blood." he stated.

"True."

"So, technically, if we choose a new Alpha, he couldn't stop us." Jared claimed.

"It's true." Old Quil said. "Jacob can command them if he takes his place, but the only reason has the Power is because they were born into the Pack when he was already there. He was the first."

"So, someone else could take over if everyone agreed?" Sue asked.

"Makes since. We chose to believe Sam as our Alpha." another wolf said.

"Can we just not have one?" Jacob asked.

"You have to have an Alpha. A commander." Old Quil said. "Not having one would make you a huge lot of rambling wolves. Someone would end up becoming commander anyway just by being the bossy one. Most likely Leah. She can get things done." The old man laughed.

"So, who then?" Leah asked. I could tell she didn't want to be the commander.

"Well, one of the older ones would be best. Not Paul." Jacob said. "Sorry dude, but you have a temper."

"Why not Jared?" Leah asked. "Second to shift. He's already second-in-command. It makes perfect sense. The most cool-headed and logical of us all. Even over Sam."

Everyone was quiet for a moment. "Would you be willing?" Sue asked the boy in question.

"It's why I asked." he said politely.

"Is this serious!" Sam boomed. "You're going to replace me over one little mistake?"

"Yeah. One mistake that you did. Over and over and over again." Jared told Sam. Rosalie flinched, probably thinking of seeing Leah's beatings and imagining how many times they happened that we hadn't seen. I could feel the new hesitant excitement rush over the pack, almost blocking out the betrayal and anger on Sam. I wanted to laugh. What right did he have to feel betrayed?

Jared _did_ seem like a good choice. In general, he seemed like a centered guy. Cool-headed and nice. "So, would that mean I'm Beta now?" the Paul guy asked suddenly. "I'm third to shift."

"Well...I guess. Technically, it's Jared's choice." the wheel-chaired Elder said.

"He's a little too angry, don't you think?" Old Quil asked.

"Maybe it'd make the perfect balance." Leah suggested, glancing to Paul. He smiled at her a little, looking shocked that she took his side. "Sometimes you need someone to think with their heart instead of their head." Paul's smile got bigger and Leah untensed in my arms a little. Her feelings seemed to untense a little too. I'm sure she was smiling back.

"Paul and Jared?" Sam scoffed. "You r-"

"If you want to stay in the pack at all, you'll shut your mouth Sam Uley." this came from Leah's mother. Her brother smiled.

"You can't kick me out of the pack! These abilities can't be taken away." he claimed.

"We can, actually. We can even kick you off the Rez. So shush it." Leah's mom said. "Sure, you'd still be a wolf, but what would be the point with nobody to run with?"

Everyone quieted. "Do you want to be in the Pack?" Jared asked Sam slowly.

"Of course." Sam said quickly. He was angry but he wasn't stupid. Too much.

"Okay, so...now that that's sorted, you're okay with Leah coming and going over the line?" Old Quil asked Carlisle.

Carlisle nodded. "Any of the pack really, as long as Leah is bringing them." Most of the wolves looked completely freaked by the invitation, but Leah's little brother didn't.

"Cool!" he exclaimed.

"Seth..." Leah muttered in an amused tone.

"Yes?" he replied overly-sweetly.

She shook her head and chuckled. "Shut up."

"Hey! I wanna meet your new boyfriend!" he exclaimed.

"He isn't my boyfriend." she said in a hushed tone, looking down. "Just a friend." I was a little stung by this but what could I say? In her mind, I wasn't that interested in her. In her mind, I'd released her. She probably thought I couldn't care less. I wonder if me releasing her had made her happy.

"Oh." was all her brother said. But the solemn tone that came out of the usually cheery boy's mouth made me believe that being just friends with an Imprint wasn't a usual occurence. His face glanced down to my hand around her waist and became confused. "But-"

"Not buts." Leah snapped quickly. "We're...friends." And this time, she even _sounded_ rejected.


	18. I have a date

**Jasper's POV**

We all headed back to the house quietly. Watching Leah walk back to her Rez with her pack brothers, unable to kiss her before she left...well, in the way she'd phrase it...it completely sucked. I had to agree.

"So..." Rosalie started. "You think you'll ever see her again?"

"Rose, you really are the most tactless person I've ever met." Edward murmured.

She ignored him. "Jazz? Do you?"

"That's up to her." I told them, my voice sounding dull even to my own ears. Why hadn't I said something? At least set up a meeting or got her number or something? I was an idiot! That's the only way to explain it.

"Actually," Rosalie murmured, interrupting my self-destructive berating, "It was up to you. And releasing her was pretty much saying 'Get out of my life. You're beneath me.' without having to actually say that."

"Not releasing her would have pretty much been enslaving her." I argued. "And you know that isn't what I meant when I did it."

She put her hands up in surrender. "I know you didn't Jazz, and I'm sure she knew that you were being a good guy. But she's a girl. And no matter what she said, there is a small part of her wondering why you didn't put up any kind of fight for her. I know I would be wondering."

"It's true." Alice chirped.

"A girl thing." Esme said, agreeing.

"Are you serious?" I asked, "You couldn't tell me this _before_ we dropped her off. I thought she wanted to be rid of me."

"She's always going to want you, Jazz. Her tribal spirit hocus pocus picked you for her. But..." Rose sighed, "She probably thinks you don't give a damn since you just handed her over."

"I barely know that girl!" I defended.

"Yet, she loves you and you're falling for her." Edward stated.

I sighed in frustration. "Didn't you feel any of this from her?" Rose asked suddenly.

"Gosh damnit! No, because she was tense and scared and I was concentrated on calming her. I-She...She's always all over the place with her emotions. There is no middle ground with her. I can barely read around whatever her most intense emotion is at the time. She's like a shield to my gift."

"Mine too." Edward said.

"No, she's keeping you out on purpose." I said to Edward. "That whole intense thing...I'm starting to get the feeling that not _all_ of it was a smokescreen. I think she's like that. Because in the bathroom...her feelings were merging with my own. I could've...let's just say I was a hair away from losing all control."

Emmett laughed.

"What's so funny?" I snapped.

"Calm down, bro. I just thought of something." He paused for a long moment until I rose a brow.

"Well!"

"She called home today." he said. "Hello! Redial."

I beamed. "Thanks Em." I said with a quick shoulder-pat before sprinting home.

**Leah's POV**

_Ring. _Pick up. Pick up. Pick up. _Ring. _Come on Jasper, don't ignore me. Please. _Ring. _Oh God. They're probably all laughing about this right now. _Ring. _Don't do this to me. Please. Pick up the damn phone!_ Ring. _Son of a b-

"Hello?" came a raspy, deep, southern-accented voice.

I couldn't control my excitement. "Jasper!" As soon as the word left my mouth, I inwardly groaned. Don't sound like an excited puppy!

"Leah?"

Althougth he couldn't see, actually I was glad he couldn't, I beamed that he recognized my voice. Or wait...did they have caller ID. Would he even recognize my last name if he did? "Yeah."

"I was just about to call you. I wanted to give you a chance to get home." There was a pause and I assumed he looked at a clock. "You must live near the treaty line."

"A little farther that your house is from it. I'm fast though." I said proudly. It was pretty much the only thing I had to offer.

I could hear his smile through the phone. "Are ya now?"

"Yes, I am cowboy."

"I'd call you injun but it seems a little..."

"Yeah...don't do that. We'd rather Native American. Or redskins. We love descriptive names. Clear water. Pale faces. Cold ones. You know... we're real literal that way."

He laughed. "I can see that."

It got quiet. And then we both spoke at the same time.

"Do you wanna g-"

"I was thinking maybe we co-"

"Oh, go ahead."

"Naw. Ladies first."

"No, really. Go ahead."

He cleared his throat. "I like you, Leah. I mean...I'm attracted to you. Your personality and your body too obviously. What I'm sayin' is I'd...like to, ya know, maybe...take ya out sometime."

I almost squealed right there. I cleared my suddenly constricted throat too. "I'd love to."

"Well...whenever you're free." he said quickly.

"I usually have graveyard shift patrols since I'm one of very few that don't go to school. So really...any day you want." I answered.

"How about tonight?" he asked. "I have school tom-"

"You still go to school?" I found myself asking curiously.

"Yeah." I could hear that smile again.

"Then wouldn't you be too sle-" I cut my own sentence off abruptly. "Wow. Duh. Vampires don't sleep."

"Right." he said, his voice sounding like he was smiling even harder now.

"Okay, then. Tonight. I'd like that. I could meet you at the treaty line or at the Rez bounds on the highway..."

"You have a car?"

"Yeah." I answered. "My dad's old car."

"Okay. Well, meet me at the Rez Bounds. Seven o'clock."

"Seven?" I exclaimed. "That's only in an hour and a half."

"You can't make that?" he asked teasingly. I glared at the phone reciever.

"Of course I can." I muttered.

"Alright. See ya then. Bye, little lady." he said, hanging up the phone. I hung up too and sighed. I was going on a date! With Jasper! My imprint!

I jumped up from my bed, doing a little victory dance that I was trying wildly to conceal but was too jazzed to do anything about. "Seth! Seth! I have a date! Seth!"


	19. Mexican

**Jasper's POV**

This was ridiculous. I'm a freaking vampire, for God's Sake. And I feel like a nerdy schoolboy waiting for the head cheerleader at Prom. Like someone's gonna show up and say 'Really? You thought Leah was serious? HAHA dork!' Maybe take some photos until I run off in tears or something.

No. Couldn't happen. For one, I don't and can't cry. Two...Leah wouldn't do that. I don't think so, anyway. No. Have a little faith.

A light appeared from down the street and got brighter and brighter as it approached. I heard the soft purring of a well-tended car and a sleek, black Charger pulled onto the side of the road. The car cut off and Leah stepped out.

"You said it was your dad's old car. I guess I was expecting some huge, rusty truck or something."

She smiled. "1973 Chevy Charger. Still in mint condition. It was dad's biggest hobby. And he left it to me when he died." She walked to the front of the car and spread her hands. "Do I look okay? I wasn't sure where we were going and I figured underdressing was better than overdressing."

I let my eyes travel down her long, jean-clad legs and back up to her fuzzy gray sweater. Her hair was down, brushing her shoulders in slightly wavy tresses and she wore only a little mascara. I could smell her toothpaste from where she stood, along with the fruity smell of her shampoo and lotion. "You look great." I said truthfully.

"Well, I have a skirt in the car...just in case."

"It's a little chilly, isn't it?"

"I have a body temperature of like 101. So, I think I can take it." she said, smiling.

I shrugged. "How short is the skirt?"

She laughed. "It's denim. Goes about mid-thigh."

I took an unneeded breath. Leah had amazing legs. If she had no problem showing them off..."Whatever you like. I'm sure you'll look great either way."

She started back to the car, stopped suddenly, and then locked the doors. "I'll just go with the jeans." she finally said, shoving her keys into her pockets and coming back around. I opened Emmett's jeep door and helped her to climb in.

**Leah's POV**

Okay. So I couldn't wear skirts. I hadn't thought about that until I was about to change and realized that if anything happened and I got wet...he'd know immediately. That's a little embarassing. So I shut that idea down quick.

Jasper helped me into the passenger seat and went around the hood to settle in the driver's seat. "This is Emmett's car." he said slowly. "Alice, Esme and I never felt the need for a car. We're always with the others."

"Plus you can run about the same speed." I joked. But I knew it was true. He shrugged. "So, where are we going?"

"Where do you want to go?" he asked.

"Uhh..."

"I made several reservations. Since I'm not sure where you like." He cleared his throat. The sexual tension at that moment seemed to be a living thing. Palpable. "Chinese. Italian. Mexican. Thai. Japanese. French."

I was a little astounded. I'd never eaten Thai, Japanese, or French in my life. They really must be rich. And I wanted to try those things but I didn't want to try them on a first date and risk hating it or getting sick. "Well, what do you li- Wow. I'm really stupid. You don't eat."

He chuckled. "No. I don't."

Hmmm. "Well, if it's up to me. And I'll be the only one eating, I definitely think Mexican."

He nodded and started up Emmett's beastly Jeep. He cut the stereo on once we got onto the highway and a light jazz played. I never took Emmett for the type. "My CD." he said, as if he'd known exactly what I was thinking. I'd never listened to jazz before but it was pretty good so I leaned back in the seat and tried to relax, even at his ridiculous speed.

"You know, you have all the time in the world. Why do you have to rush everything?"

He chuckled. "I can do everything fast. Going sixty five on this highway would kill me."

I smirked. "So, you're impatient."

"I guess so." he breathed, sounding rather amused. We pulled into La Cosina only a few minutes later, pulling into a dark corner almost in the back and he sped around the car to open my door.

I took his offered hand and climbed out. "Why thank you, kind sir."

The side of his mouth twitched up into a half-smirk/smile. I couldn't help but to smile back. "You're welcome little lady."

And then we were kissing. His hands were clenching my hips, pulling me against him. I had a hand on his shoulder and the other on the nape of his neck, massaging the skin and baby hairs while keeping him close as well.

A low growl reverberated through his chest and almost instantly, my panties got damp. Really? One noise and I'm ready? I'm such a slut.

But Jasper didn't say anything. I'm sure he could smell it faintly, like I could. But he just held me closer, continuing the duel that our tongues were having. When breathing became a problem, he pulled away and started to drop kisses down my neck. My skin tingled and raised with goosebumps. He pulled back suddenly. "We should really get inside if you want to eat."

I almost whimpered on the spot at his darkened eyes. I clenched my thighs together and sighed. "One more kiss. After I eat, I'm going to have cheezy breath."

He smirked and leaned down, attempting a quick peck. I caught his neck again and held him to me for a deep, proper kiss and then released him. He smiled, glanced down at my crotch for a split second, and then his smile turned into a smirk. I narrowed my eyes. "Not. One. Word." I warned.

"Whatn't gonna say a thing." he said, giving his best clueless look. I rolled my eyes and he grabbed my hand, guiding me to the restaurant.

**Jasper's POV**

The Mexican Resturant I took Leah too wasn't too fancy. I figured that would make her uncomfortable and as we walked in, and I felt her relaxing, I knew I'd been right.

Lots of the Mexican men were glancing our way but Leah barely noticed, and that allowed me to ignore them as well. For once, her taking over my senses was a good thing. Because feeling _all_ of these people at once would've been uncomfortable. I wish she could tag along to school with me.

We were seated pretty quickly and Leah ordered a Pepsi and some chicken fajita thing. The waiter smiled ridiculously big, jotting down her order, and then turned to me.

"Just water." I told him, to which he wrote down. With one last smile for Leah, he left.

"So..." she started, immediately. Her nerves and enthusiasm were a help and henderence at once. It made me less nervous to know that she was nervous, but then again, I could _feel _how nervous she was.

"So..." I countered. "Tell me about yourself." She narrowed her eyes again. "No, really. I wanna know. You have this huge mystical bond with me and I don't really know anything about you."

"Okay." she said, thinking of what to say. Her eyes connected to mine. "My name is Leah Suzanne Clearwater. I have one little brother and eight other pack brothers, one whom is my ex-boyfriend. He imprinted with my cousin and dumped me. Which I get now. But my cousin...who was my best friend at the time _decided_ to be with him. So...I hate them both. My dad died from a heart attack last year and left me his car. He left my brother his guitar, which is worth about as much as the car. My mom is dating one of my dad's best friends. His other best friend is my best friend, Jacob Black's, dad. Uh...what else?"

Kind of explains the anger, I guess. Losing her dad, best friend and boyfriend so close together. "What do you like to do for fun?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"I like to run." she said seriously. "And swim. Swimming was my thing before I phased but since then, I love running more."

"What kind of music do you listen to?"

"Alternative. Rock. I'll give anything a chance, really."

"Okay, so what about-"

"Here you are." the waiter said, setting Leah's food and drink in front of her. She thanked him, watched him walk away, and then turned back to me. "Okay, I'll eat. Now you tell me about you."


	20. I feel exactly the same

**Leah's POV**

I listened as Jasper went through his favorite things as well. Before long, I had finished my plate and was sipping at my drink as he told me of his past. In the army and then with Marie, creating an army.

The saddness and remorse in his eyes and voice had my heart twisting with his but I listened intently, asking questions when unclear and he explained it all. After he finished, he watched me for a long time, looking thoughtful.

I smiled. "What?"

He shook his head. "I just...nobody really wanted to know all of that before. I mean, I told Alice but she didn't like to bring up the unpleasantness. To know how I used to be. The darkness I used to revel in, I guess you could say. And you don't feel horrified or terrified of me?"

My heart clenched. "No. I don't, Jasper. But don't you get it?" I asked, meeting his questioning gaze. "If you'd have woke up beside Alice and been brought here, you'd always want to kill. More than you probably do now. You'd feel terrible, but that probably wouldn't have been enough. Now you know. You know what it's like to kill and how it makes you feel now. That guilt and remorse it what controls your bloodlust." I took a deep breath. "And I think, the fact that you'd done all that before deciding to turn your back makes you even better. No one taught you to think the way you do. You started thinking that way on your own and you left and Alice found you. Your past. It makes you who you are today."

"So...you wouldn't like me if I was completely blood-free?" he asked.

I smiled again. "I think the imprint picked you for me especially. I mean, if you'd have been like Edward or Carlisle, I'd probably have imprinted on someone else. Fate thought you were perfect for me. So.."

"Does it hurt that I don't feel the same way about you? I mean, because I don't have an imprint?"

I couldn't seem to stop smiling. "Part of me wishes you felt as deeply for me as I feel for you. But a bigger part is happy that you have the choice to like me. I feel the imprint bringing me to you but I can also tell how I like you in my own right. If you were the one that imprinted, I'd never know for sure if you actually wanted to be with me. Do-does that make any sense?"

He nodded. "I understand completely."

"And it doesn't bother you that you'll never know?" I asked.

He smiled then and my heart squeezed. "I do know. I can feel the difference in your mind-willed emotions and the spirit-forced ones. Like that first day...you were ridiculously filled with joy but your mind's emotions and thoughts were flooding it. You were terrified and pissed and bitter."

My eyes had widened during his confession. "You can tell the difference?"

He nodded. "I'd say that the feelings you have besides the Imprint are equal to mine. But the Imprint...well, I don't know. It's like mating for us, you know? If I chose you as my mate, recognized you as mine, I'd grow feelings like that for you."

I sighed. "Lucky! You get to choose."

He laughed. "Sort of. I mean, I was mated with Alice. I loved her dearly. But it wasn't a soul-deep mating like Esme and Carlisle or Emmett and Rose. Or even Edward and Alice. The first time they kissed, I could feel it. Like they were soulmates, you know?"

I frowned. "Do you think I could be your soul mate?"

"I don't know." he answered, looking a little nervous.

"It'd be just like the Fates to throw me at someone who couldn't be completely happy with me." I murmured.

His head snapped up quickly. "NO. Leah, I won't feel incomplete or anything. I just-"

"Won't feel overfilled with soulful love like I do." I interrupted.

There was a moment of tense quiet before we both burst into laughter. I mean, here we are on our first date, and I'm practically asking for forever. In human equivalent, it's like asking how many kids he wants.

He sighed after a moment, our laughter subsiding. I smiled. "We should go and find out." I suggested.

His brow furrowed. "Find out what?"

I smiled coyly and stood from the booth. "If we're soul mates, cowboy." And then I saunted outside and went to the jeep.

**Jasper's POV**

I am not some teenager, but it was exactly what I felt like as I sat with Leah. We'd switched cars, which was Leah's suggestion, and were now parked in a dark driveway. It had once led to an old, abandoned cottage in the middle of the woods, but the overgrowth had prevented us from driving any further in.

Panic settled in when I realized that this was planned. We were parking! Like two teenagers that snuck out to makeout cliff or something.

"What are we doing?" I asked hesitantly.

She smiled. "Well, since this car actually belongs to me it seems less disrespectful than having sex in your brother's jeep."

I gulped. "Didn't this used to be your dad's?"

She just continued smiling. "If my dad was alive and he knew you were my imprint, he wouldn't mind." she said, sounding very confident.

I'd only had sex with Alice for the last fifty-some years. And this girl, while not human, was still breakable. And to my horror, that fact only spurred my arousal on. "We've only known each other for two days." I said hesitantly. I wanted to do this but I was terrified.

Leah wasn't. She pulled me toward her, out from behind the wheel, toward the center of the bench seat and then straddled my lap. "Hey! I let your drive my baby after only two days. I think this will be okay."

Before I could respond, her lips were on mine and the wet heat between her legs was felt through her jeans and mine. I kissed her back, my hands settling on her hips and she ground her hips into mine. I growled into her mouth and she let out a little growl herself. My dick twitched and I tightened my grip on her hips, still careful not to hurt her.

Her lips left mine, kissing my face over and over. I finally realized that she was kissing each little scar as she followed the pale lines down my neck. Her hands grabbed the collar of my shirt and started to rip it down the middle. My dick was continuously throbbing now and I growled deep in my throat. Her forwardness was strangely turning me on.

Dominance in the bedroom was all I'd had with Alice. And this girl was...not exactly taking it, but fighting for it. And I found that I loved that. Especially since, whether she admitted it or not, I was stronger than her. And I would win. That knowledge didn't take the surprise out of it though. I'd never suspected her to be like this.

Her lips trailed from my neck to my collarbone and down my chest, nipping and licking and kissing to my nipples. She was grinding hard against me now and my compliance was quickly faded. I couldn't just sit and watch anymore.

In one quick move, I grabbed her and rolled us over the seat so we were in the spacious backseat. It was surprisingly clean and I trapped her under me on the leather seat. She grinned and pulled her shirt over her head.

Within seconds, she had her bra off too and I stopped for a moment to admire her beauty again.

And then my shirt was ripped off and we were desperately tearing at our jeans in the enclosed space. We got them off soon enough and I took a deep breath and looked down to her. She nodded slightly before I thrust deep inside her.

As soon as my head entered, she gasped, and when I came to the hilt, struggling to stay inside of her tight, strangling heat without hurting her, the gasp became a moan. Her legs wrapped around my waist and her hands went to my face. "You're not going to hurt me." she whispered. "Come on, Cowboy. I'll tell you if you do. Don't hold back."

I pulled back and thrust back slowly, savoring the hot velvety feel of her, earning another arousing moan from Leah. Her lips parted on a sigh and I dived down to claim them as I picked up my pace. She whimpered and moaned into my mouth and I maintained enough coherency to feel for any change in her pleasure.

It started to peak along with mine and I started pumping harder and faster into her. Her moans had slid into one continued moan as I was practically a blur of activity. I felt a little pain come from her but it increased the pleasure by double. I was tempted to slow down but my body wouldn't seem to allow it. Nor would hers as she started to meet my thrusts harder and harder.

She must have sensed my slight tensing because she started to kiss me and murmur assurances in between. "It's okay...I like it...ahhh! Don't worry...it feels so good...you feel soo good..."

Every word and sound she made was just building the tension and pleasure inside of me. I couldn't stop even if I wanted, I knew that, and for once I didn't feel like an uncontrolled monster for it.

I'd never wanted anything as badly as I wanted Leah. Striving for release, it started to almost be too much, when suddenly, she screamed my name and the tsunami slammed into me. We strained against each other as I emptied my seed into her.

The clenching of her inner muscles got less and less tight as we rode the orgasm out together. She whimpered a few more times and then sighed when I pulled out of her. I pulled my jeans back on and fastened them, which she also did. She fastened her bra and then plopped back on the seat, still trying to catch her breath. "I don't imagine that I need to tell you how fucking ridiculously awesome that was. Then again, everyone likes their ego stroked." She breathed out a laugh. "Damn, Cowboy! I don't even know what to say. You blew my mind just now."

"You too, Little Lady." I said with a smirk.

"I've never felt anything- scratch that, I never even knew feelings that intense were possible. I-" She cut herself off, not knowing what else to say. She didn't need to say anything else. I could sense the peace and euphoric bliss still tingling her body. The same things I was feeling. I just pulled her heated body against me to cool her off and placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"I feel exactly the same way." I said truthfully.


	21. go ahead, perv

**Jasper's POV**

Going back home was a little awkward, I'll admit. Everyone heard when Alice and I used to make love and everyone knew that it was never often, even before we started to drift apart.

Rosalie and Emmett were at it alot. Carlisle and Esme too. But now that Edward and Alice were together, Alice was getting lots of action. They tended to be very sweet and easy with one another, just like Esme and Carlisle were. Even when sweet and easy was rough compared to humans.

Leah and I, though, we were right up there with Rose and Emmett. Maybe worse, because Leah felt the pain a little and liked it. Kind of kinky, my little she wolf.

And wasn't it wierd that I sort of pitied Edward and Alice and Carlisle and Esme now? Their vanilla bland of sex wasn't appetizing in the least to me. I'd just assumed I wasn't a very sexual person because Rosalie and Emmett's sounds seemed too barbaric for me. But now that I'd felt that passion, that heat, that wild abandonment, I had a new respect for my supposed twin and her husband.

I think Emmett had a new respect for me too when I entered the house wearing my jeans, a jacket zipped to hide my ripped-to-hell teeshirt and absolutely reeking of sex.

His gaze was trained on the door when I came in, already smiling brilliantly. "So...how'd it go?" he asked with a knowing smile.

I collapsed on the chair opposite of him. No need to hurry and shower since the smell would linger through the house. "It was okay." I said with a smirk.

"Okay?" came Edward's voice as he entered from the kitchen. "Not what I'm seeing." he taunted.

"Look, just because you're no longer a century old virgin doesn't mean you know everything about sex yet, Eddo." Emmett commented before turning back to me. Emmett and Rosalie were still a little peeved at Edward and Alice. Carlisle and Esme were worse. They were dissappointed. "So, seriously, how'd it go?"

I rolled my eyes. "You know how it went."

"I can practically feel the happiness rolling off you, bro." Edward agreed, leaning forward to clap a hand on my shoulder. "Was it good?"

I would've blushed if I could but I just shook my head slightly in embarasssment and amusement at my over-curious brother and sat back in the chair. "Edward?" I asked.

He seemed to understand my dilemma and smiled. Talking about my sex life wasn't embarassing to him. His own, though...I didn't understand how he could see inside people's minds, I'm sure hundreds were crude and vile and gross, and still be so modest. I know I thought about sex all the time and it's pretty much all Emmett thought about. "Car sex." he started. "Leah took Jasper parking after dinner and they made love in the back of her father's car."

"HA!" Emmett boomed. "Awesome!"

"Made love?" I echoed. Sure, you could say I was falling for Leah but the sex we'd had was definitely no slow, gentle love-making I'd ever seen.

Edward smiled again. "You may love her but, it wasn't exactly love-making I suppose." he agreed with my thoughts. He turned back to Emmett. "Looks like Leah and Rose may be more alike than we already thought."

Emmett's ear-to-ear smile somehow got bigger and slightly devious. "So she likes it rough?"

Edward laughed. "Do you really see Leah demurely sighing and sharing sweet kisses during sex?"

I laughed then. "In the backseat of a car?"

"No. That girl's a firecracker. What happened?" he asked excitedly. "Details!"

I sighed. "Edward, you may want to leave the room for this."

"I've seen it already. Could probably tell the story better than you could." my bronze-haired brother said.

I shrugged. "Then go ahead, perv. After this time, stop watching my replays." I said sternly, starting the memories over in my mind.

Edward grinned and settled into the couch more fully. "Okay, well first, she let him drive her car. A '73 Chevy Charger."

"Nice." Emmett commented in a low tone, anxious for the sex part. I was only even telling them because they told me all thier shit too, although Edward had never had anything to tell. He hadn't had the nerve to tell about him and Alice. Didn't really need to, I could hear it. I wasn't impressed. Plus, I didn't see Leah as the embarassed type.

"She led him to this driveway and suddenly, he realized it was abandoned and neatly cushioned on all sides by dark forest." Edward continued.

Emmett's huge grin was back. "Sneaky girl."

"So then, Jasper got all fidgety and she pulled him closer to her on the seat and straddled him." Edward smiled.

Emmett leaned up in his seat and Edward continued with everything.

**Leah's POV**

Seth and mom were at the kitchen table when I got back. Big surprise. I took a deep breath and shut the door behind me. Seth had a smile on his face, obviously smelling it. But then again, he also looked a little embarassed and grossed out. I was his sister, after all.

"Good time?" he asked, casting an amused look at our oblivious mother.

"Yeah, honey, how was your date?" she asked.

I know my face may have reddened a little but I just nodded and sat at the table. "Good. Jasper's family is rich so he let me pick the place. We had Mexican..." I drifted off there, not wanting to lie and say 'Then he brought me home.' But definitely not willing to tell my mother and baby brother that we'd fucked like bunnies in the back seat of my car.

"And then?" Seth persisted.

I glowered at him. "Seth, leave your sister alone. She's a grown woman and I know you smell something I don't." I looked to her, shocked, just as Seth did. "Hey, I can tell when a woman is satisfied." she defended.

"Mom..." I groaned, feeling the blush in my cheeks get worse.

She patted my hand. "No need for embarassment, honey. You have a bond with him. He knows it too and all I have to say is he better not be abusing it."

I wanted to deny it completely. I didn't want my mom knowing these things. But I couldn't lie to her. So I just nodded quietly and looking down at my twidling thumbs on the table.

"Well...have you and Jasper talked about your future?" she asked after a long pause.

I furrowed my brow. "Mom, I imprinted. He didn't. I can't ask a guy when he wants to get married on our first date!"

"But he does understand that you want a long-term relationship?" Mom asked.

I groaned. "Before tonight, I literally fist-fought him as a gamble so he'd release me. The date came out of nowhere, okay? Maybe he just wants to go slow. That's why he released me."

"True. Emily just latched on to Sam, desperate for companionship. Leah, it's good you're taking your time. So he loves you back." This serious statement came from my brother, who also looked very serious. I wanted to laugh out loud but the sincere encouragement in his eyes made me feel like tearing up.

"Thanks, Seth."

"Don't talk about your cousin like that." Mom snipped at Seth. I wanted to groan again. _This _was why we never got along.

For once, Seth stuck to my side on this argument. Usually, he stayed quiet to keep peace. But tonight...He looked to mom with scrunched brows as if he couldn't believe what she'd said. "Mom...you may be a Council member but you're not a wolf. You've never seen in our pack mind how much Sam wants Emily or Paul wants Rachel or Jared wants Kim. But you have to have noticed that Rachel and Kim started off with Paul and Jared slowly... now so is Jasper. That means that Emily, who felt nothing toward Sam when he started throwing love on her, purposely stabbed Leah in the back. And they didn't even try to ease into it! They were making out and sending out invitations to their engagement party before Leah had her next meal!"

"Seth, that's not fair to Emil-"

"Imagine dad had left you for your best friend." Seth stated calmly. "He seems to not have been able to help it because of this spirit thing. You would understand. It would hurt, but you'd understand. But how could you forgive the girl? She'd taken your boyfriend! Someone you loved!"

"Okay, okay." Mom said quickly, trying to calm him down. "I understand. I do." She sighed and turned to me. "I just...she has no friends, Leah. And you don't hang around anyone but the pack. So does she. Life would just be so much easier if you two could be friends again."

"First of all... I'm over Sam now. Have been since he started being a dick. It hurts that I never knew he could do something like this...but I don't love him in the least. And that was even before I imprinted. But I still don't like Emily. I can't trust her. And now that Jared is Alpha instead, I hope we'll be going to his house for lunches and stuff. Kim seems a little stuckup, but maybe I'll hang with her." Mom started to smile. "Maybe." I repeated. "Then again, Jasper has two coven-sisters or whatever and a mom-like figure. And one of his sisters...well one is his ex but she seems nice. But the other one seems really cool. I think I'll be getting some new freinds mom, so you know...just calm down."

She took a deep breath. "I'm so happy you found someone honey."

"And the whole vampire part doesn't freak you?"

"It's awesome." Seth claimed.

My mother smiled wisely. "The Council has decided the Great Spirits must have chosen him for a reason. We can not dispute with that."

I nodded happily. "Thanks guys." I stood and stretched. "I guess I'm going to bed. I'll probably go see Jasper tomorrow evening, he asked if I could come. A-"

"Can I come?" Seth asked.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "I'll call and ask tomorrow Seth."


	22. Hello, Mi'lady

**Jasper's POV**

I smelled Leah before she knocked, along with another wolfy scent and I had to smile. She'd called and asked if her brother could come and I'd been able to hear the boy's excited whispering from behind her. He was thrilled for some reason, and Leah tried to keep her embarassment and slight fond annoyance out of her voice as she'd scolded him.

Esme had practically demanded that she bring him, saying she'd love to meet him. My family seemed to realize this wasn't just a passing fancy or rebound and they wanted to get to know Leah. Even Rosalie seemed to respect her, if not actually like her. But I was sure they'd become friends when they actually talked. I mean, all they'd seen of each other was Leah and I fighting, Rosalie slamming her against a wall, and then the beating from her pack. They hadn't actually spoke more than ten words to one another, I realized.

Anyways, I pulled the door open and couldn't help but to grin at Leah's smile and her little brother's uncontrollable excitement. He tried his best to hide it. But, hello...empath here.

"Hello, Mi'lady." I drawled, letting my accent out a bit. She immediately got an aroused buzzing sensation that swept over me like waves. I cleared my throat, lifting a brow and smirked.

"Shut up, Cowboy." she huffed, unable to hide a small smile.

"Come on...you know it was a little funny." I prodded, stepping back to let them inside.

Seth came in after his sister, looking confused. "What?" he asked, looking to his sister.

She blushed darkly, and that only seemed to confuse him more. He actually looked a little stunned. She just shrugged. "He's a creepy feeler."

"Huh?"

I stepped forward, offering a hand and an amused smile. "I'm Jasper. Seth, right?"

He shook my hand. "Yeah. Nice to meet you."

I nodded toward Leah. "She's embarassed because I'm an empath."

He looked a little surprised but nodded. "We knew one of you was. Just not sure which...So, you can feel how I feel right now?"

I nodded, still smiling. "Yea. More importantly, I can feel what _she's _feeling right now. And a moment ago...which is why she's embarassed."

Realization dawned on his face only a moment before his nose wrinkled. "Okay, bad enough I had to smell when she drove me to the school this morning and be there when Mom had their little _talk_, I don't need a replay. Although...I'll get one w-"

"I won't tell you." I assured him. "Don't worry. I shouldn't have even brought it up."

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Like I said, I'll get a replay soon." His nose was still wrinkled and I cocked my head to the side in confusion. He sighed.

"Pack mind." Leah interrupted. "When in wolf form, whatever I think of, they'll know." I could tell she was embarassed, mortified, and angry about that but I just nodded to let her know it wasn't going to start any fight with me. Not much embarassed me anymore.

"Anyway." I exclaimed, starting to lead them through the livingroom. "My mother, Esme, has made lunch. They're in the kitchen now."

Seth smiled. "I love Chicken Parmesan!" he exclaimed. I was a little shocked that he knew, a little stunned at his excitement from something so small, and half-expecting him to clap in glee.

I glanced to Leah. "You're not the only ones with super-smell." she stated mockingly. She smiled. "And he always acts like this. He's a hyper little squirt."

"Hey!" Seth protested. I chuckled and placed my hand on the small of Leah's back as we made our way to the kitchen. I only thought momentarily about how she seemed to know everything I was thinking by just seeing my face. Not even Alice had been able to do that. She'd always said I was unreadable. Maybe she'd just never cared enough to really look.

I shrugged internally as we finally entered the kitchen, feeling Leah's nervousness and Seth's too, along with almost overwhelming excitement. I knew I was smiling just from the intense emotion from the boy. Was that intenseness a Clearwater trait or something?

Edward smirked. "Probably, Jazz."

I smiled back but Seth looked at Edward quickly. "You're the mindreader, right?"

Edward looked a little taken back but nodded. Seth just nodded as if to say _Cool, cool_. "I'm Alice." Alice announced, prancing closer to Seth and extending a hand. He shook it with a smile.

"The seer." he said with a nod. She smiled brightly. "I'm Seth Clearwater, as you know. Leah's brother."

_"Little_ brother." Leah clarified, as if she'd needed to. The kid was built like a warrior but he was obviously young by the baby fat on his cheeks. He glared at his sister for a moment and she shrugged. "Well, you are." she said defensively.

"I'm Esme." my mother-figure introduced. "And this is my husband, Carlisle. Our daughter, Rosalie and our son Emmett." She motioned to each person in the kitchen, never taking her eyes off Seth. \

"Hello." Carlilse said politely.

"Sup, Little Man?"Emmett responded.

I could feel his astonishment, probably from finally meeting Vampires for the first time.

Edward chuckled. "Cold Ones." he replied. At my confused look, he explained, "They call us Cold Ones."

I nodded. "You're the really strong one, right?" Seth asked Emmett.

Emmett beamed. "Don't inflate his ego." Edward murmured. Emmett's grin didn't waver.

"Yeah. I'm the strong one."

"It's nice to meet all of you. Leah's talked about you alot." he babbled, "Well, truthfully, just telling me basic stuff. Emmett's really strong, so don't piss Rosalie off because she'll sick him on you. Edward's supposed to be fast and he can read your mind, so keep secrets out of your mind or sing to yourself to keep him out. Rosalie will be quick to fight, so just steer clear of her. She won't like you anyway and-"

"Seth, can you shut up?" Leah bit out.

We were all chuckling by now, except Rosalie and Leah of course. "What makes you think you know me, Dog?" Rosalie asked Leah, standing from her chair. She came forward in a threatening manner and I had to fight myself not to attack right then. Edward glanced strangely to me but I just shrugged.

Leah could take care of herself, as it turns out. "I didn't say I did, Leech. I just told him to leave you alone."

"You told him I wouldn't like him."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I must've missed the sweet, caring side of you then. That's great. So you like him then?" Rosalie was quiet. "You see, you don't. And it's not because of who we are. Because everyone likes Seth. It's because _what_ we are. And I didn't want him being dissappointed when you started being a bitch to him too."

"A bitch?" Rosalie shrieked. "I'll show you a bitch!"

Leah scoffed. And it actually sounded like she was amused. "Yeah, prove something I already know. Afterall, I'm the unreasonable one here."

"Leah!" Seth whined, tugging at her arm.

"Rosalie." Esme warned. "It's lunch time. Can't we all just get along for once?"

Leah looked to me suddenly, her eyes showing that she'd got carried away. I could feel her sudden angst and I understood. She thought I'd be angry for fighting with my sister. "It's okay." I told her. "I don't expect you to just let her call you a dog whenever she feels like it."

"Jasper!" Rosalie complained, looking shocked.

"What, Rose?" I asked. "You just insulted her whole tribe with that. And I know it's just how you are, but you can't expect people to take it all the time. I'm not going to jump down her throat for sticking up for herself."

Rosalie turned away sharply, never the forgiving type, and stomped back to Emmett. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Lunch!" Esme called again, this time successfully getting Leah and Seth to follow her into the kitchen. A knock came at the door just then and Edward growled in annoyance.

I sighed. "Who is that?" Leah pondered, sniffing the air. She looked to be considering it seriously. "I know that smell."

"It's Bella." Edward sighed, getting up from the table reluctantly.


	23. Go home

**Leah's POV**

Edward left the table to answer the door, scowling all the way. Everyone in the kitchen was quiet, listening to the exchange.

"What are you doin' here, Bella?"

"Edward!" she started, her voice unnaturally shrill. I winced, as did Seth and a few others. "We have to talk. You need to tell me what's going on."

"I told you already, Bella. We aren't together anymore."

"Is it because I did something wrong at dinner?" she pleaded. "Because Rosalie doesn't like me?"

"No." he spat out. My eyes widened at his harsh tone, but I knew who Bella was. Jake was infatuated with the girl and just from the way she'd acted in his little re-plays, I already didn't like her. "I'm involved with someone else, Bella." I could tell Edward was trying to remain polite, but he was irritated.

I heard a bang of the door hitting the wall, but no click. Nobody had slammed it shut. It sounded like it had been thrown open. And then I heard a little scuffle. "She's in there, isn't she?" Bella demanded.

"Bella! What are you doing!" Edward growled. The scuffling, which I'm pretty sure was her trying to get away from him and stomp into the kitchen, stopped suddenly. "Don't look at me like that! I'm not going to hurt you! Just go home."

"No! Edward, I...I thought you loved me."

"I liked you. As in past tense. I'm in love with someone else."

"But...but, I love you." Her voice was low now. Almost too low to catch. I felt bad for her. Really bad.

"Bella, we weren't even officially dating." he told her, sounding unbelieving. "We had a few tense conversations, I saved you from the van and then the guys in Port Angeles. Then dinner with the family. That was it. I don't know how or when you started loving me and I'm sorry. But I have a girlfriend. A mate, already."

A loud sob broke and Carlisle hurriedly stood from his chair, along with Esme, and left the room. "Carlisle!" Bella cried. "Please...tell Edward..." she drifted off.

"Tell him what?" Rosalie asked, her voice venomous. It was exactly what I'd been starting to think. "Tell him to love her?" she mocked.

"Rose." Alice scolded, her voice deflated and sad.

"Don't start getting all broody, Alice." Rosalie snapped.

I nodded in agreement. "Really...she must have been reading into things much more than she should have. Edward may feel guilty but he loves you. And she'll get over it. She...doesn't understand."

"And you do?" Rosalie asked, her brow rose and a condescending sneer on her lips.

"About mating for life...yeah, I do." I told her seriously. "And maybe you don't Imprint like my kind does, but it's something like that. I mean, if you would have seen anyone besides Emmett in the woods dying, you would have probably left them with a little saddness, thinking there was nothing to be done. But you saw him, and something made you want to save him. It's like, as soon as you saw him, you knew."

Rosalie snorted at my explanation but Emmett smiled. "You saved his life?" Seth asked, looking admiringly toward the blonde. She shrugged awkwardly.

Bella's sobs seemed to be dying down in the other room, along with the reassuring murmuring of Esme. She started to talk again. "I love you Edward! How...how could you...you do this to me?"

"I didn't do anything to you." Edward spoke cooly. "We went on one date and it didn't work out. I broke up with you. It's not like I left you pregnant or deserted. You're overreacting, Bella. N-"

"OVERREACTING!" she screeched. "My heart was just broken into a million tiny pieces and you're not even sad at all!"

"How long did they even date?"I asked the table.

"They danced around each other for a few months. Only dated for like three days." Emmett answered. He shrugged. "She's a little..."

"Psychotic?" I supplied. Emmett let out a loud laugh.

"Yeah..."

"Are they laughing at me!" Bella's scream seemed to tear through the house.

"No, Be-" Carlisle started, only to be interupted.

"I can hear Emmett in there with that stupid bellow and it's because they can hear everything I'm saying."

Before Bella had finished the sentence, Rosalie was out of her seat and out of the room. "Well, you _are _pretty pathetic." her snide voice commented.

"PATHETIC!" Bella screeched. Everyone paused, as if holding their breath. Jasper and Alice hurried to the livingroom and Seth and I followed warily. Please, Rosalie, don't kill anyone. Edward looked to me as I entered, obviously hearing my thoughts.

'Will she be okay?' I asked him. He nodded, almost imperceptibly. Bella, taking her attention from Rosalie, glared at me.

I think it was more about pushing past her yelling at Rosalie, hoping she'd forget with her next words. "Are you her? Is this her, Edward? Your new girlfriend?"

My brows lifted and a smirk came to my face at her utter indignant look. She was on her knees, on the floor, at Edward's feet. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy and her nose was dripping. She looked like shit, and she was supposedly indignant because _I _might be Edward's girlfriend? I liked to think I wasn't conceited but...I mean, I was prettier than _Bella. _

"Do you know she's a Quilette?" she cried. "Does she know what you are? They hate your kind, Edward!"

I shook my head with a chuckle. "That's just it, Bella. You don't really know anything besides the basic facts. You don't know me or my tribe or our beliefs. One conversation with Jacob about something he didn't even believe to be real at the time, and you think you're Miss-Supernatural. You're not. You're a human. And you shouldn't be getting involved with this."

"You shouldn't be getting involved with this!" she screamed back. "You don't know them like I do a-"

"Bella," I sighed, "Go home. You're just embarassing yourself."

"How do you even know me?" she asked softly, looking scared suddenly.

"Quilette, remember? I know Jacob."

"Does he know you're here? Does your tribe? Because they hate the Cullens, they th-"

"Don't tell _me_ what they think! I'm _in_ the tribe. And it's none of your fucking business if they know I'm here or not. It's none of your business what the Quilettes or the Cullens do. You went out with Edward for a few days, it's over. Stop acting like some wise, ultra-mature cool girl when you're just being a creepy stalker like every seventeen year old with a broken heart." With that, I grabbed her arm and, with a curt jerk of my head, Seth followed my lead and grabbed her other arm and then we escorted her back to her piece of shit truck.

"Leah..."Carlisle was saying as he came out of the house, followed by a concerned Esme, smug Rosalie, slightly-worried Alice, astonished Edward, impressed Emmett, and seemingly emotionless, but very supportive-looking Jasper.

"She's trying to cause trouble, Carlisle. We're 'protecting' her from the big-bad vampires. It's literally in our job description." I told them, wrenching the truck door open.

Seth and Emmett laughed outright while Edward, Carlisle, and Jasper showed tiny smiles. The smug smirk never left Rosalie's face and Alice and Esme still looked mildly concerned for Bella. "I just want to talk to Edward!" the human started to sob again.

"There's nothing to say. He's sorry but he doesn't love you." I shoved her into the truck, halfway across the bench seat."You're trying for pity and it's not going to work. Now go home before I call your daddy's work and let him know you're a stalker."

"I-I..."

"Just go!" I snapped, slamming the truck door behind her. She continued to look at me hopelessly through the window. "GO." I said, my voice loud but slow. She hurriedly started the engine and spun gravel as she cut a sharp U-ey and raced down the driveway.


	24. Proof

**Edward's POV**

I'm a vampire. And I know not many people know that besides my family and other vampires. ...actually, only Bella and the Quilete wolves to be specific.

The point is, Bella knows. The only human in the world to know. And she thinks I wouldn't notice that she's following me?

She's ridiculously clumsy and therefore loud when she walks. I told her that her blood sings to me, so of course I could pick it out in a crowd. My mind is fast enough for me to process my surroundings when I run one hundred miles an hour, but she thinks I don't see her duck behind corners when I turn around?

I don't know if I should be insulted that she thinks me so stupid or feel stupid for ever thinking she may be something besides a crushing teenybopper. For God's sake, Leah was right!

She is acting like any other seventeen year old with a broken heart. And I don't get it.

How exactly did I break her heart? Did she think because I was so angry about the drunks in Port Angeles almost getting her that it meant I had special feelings for her? Because I felt like any man should be angry over seeing guys cornering a girl.

Did she think because I was intrigued enough to buy her dinner that it meant I was in love with her?

Because I felt a pull to her, probably because of the blood, that I saved her from the van? I won't try to lie. That _was _a big deal. I risked exposure. But it was impulsive to help and I _did _feel something for her. An interest in her, maybe even a little crush. We'd sorta been dancing around one another.

But LOVE? She used it so quickly when we really didn't know one another at all. And then the seemingly ridiculous thing I had for Alice finally happened and Bella was the last thing on my mind. She'd hounded me at school that Monday, after Jasper and Leah's date. And I'd pretty much ignored her after the initial talk. The one where I told her it wouldn't work out and I was sorry.

She wasn't having it. She came over after school and made a scene. And Jasper's sorta-kinda girlfriend/love interest had set her straight. She had Rosalie's temper but not the disdain that Rosalie showed. Somewhere deep down, Leah could relate to being dumped and heartbroken but she obviously hadn't stalked and begged her ex. She'd thought Bella was a drama queen and pathetic. After that, her and Rose seemed to find some common ground.

And now Bella was stalking me. For the last four days. The entire school week, she'd been following me from class to class. Trying to slip me notes in Biology. It was sad and pathetic and I felt for her but I also wondered how much of it was real. How in the world could she possibly love me after two dates? It was preposterous.

Alice and I were enrolled as brother and sister. Real ones. So we couldn't make out or even hold hands in school. That would look wierd. But she and Jasper didn't pretend to still be together either. Still...Bella knew we weren't really related, so I was going to tell her the truth. Alice felt guilty for lying and even more for being the reason Bella and I didn't work out. But there was nothing to be done about that. She needed to get over it.

I turned suddenly when I heard the heartbeat behind me getting closer. God! She was going to approach me again. This never went good for her and I hated seeing her cry. I turned as I got to my Volvo.

"What, Bella?"

She wrung her hands. "Edward..."

"Don't start again, Bella. I'm sorry this is hurting you. But I have another girlfriend."

She sighed. "Leah is really pretty." she confessed. "Gorgeous, even. And I'm not. I get that. But she's a Quilette. They hate you guys!"

"Leah doesn't hate us. Neither does Seth. And she's not my girlfriend anyway, Bella."

"Then why was she at your place?"

"That isn't really any of your business."

"I think you owe me an explanation." she seethed, adjusting the shoulder bag on her shoulder. "Are you even dating or just screwing around with her?"

I sighed. "I'm dating someone. Not Leah."

She gave me that look. The _don't lie to me _look. "I'm not stupid, Edward. I saw how protective of you she was."

I laughed. "Then you're imagining things. Leah is with Jasper, Bella. I'm dating Alice. I love her. I'm sorry." And then I got into my car before she could respond. If it wasn't so pathetic, I would have laughed at the complete shock on her face.

**Jasper's POV**

"She probably cornered him at school." Leah mused over Edward's lateness. She'd been waiting for me when I got home, talking quietly with Esme in the kitchen. We'd came outside and she was sitting beside me on the porch, her legs crossed at the ankle and sitting in my lap.

I smoothed a hand over her legs and sighed. "I wouldn't doubt it. She's a complete basketcase right now. Emotions all over the place."

"And she's been stalking Edward all week?"

"Mmmhmm. She thinks you're his new girl." I told her with a quirk of my lips. She smiled back deviously. "I can here his car coming up the drive."

"Me too." she replied, cocking her head toward the driveway and then smiling again. "I hear her truck too."

I heard the loud roaring rumble too and slumped my shoulders. I really wasn't looking forward to this. Edward's car appeared and by the speed I knew he was going slow to keep pace with her. The rusty truck appeared behind him and while Edward pulled into the garage she parked in the middle of the driveway and jumped out of her truck.

Edward came from the side of the house and the irritation coming from him was not unexpected. Although with the simple contentment from Leah seemed to overcloud it. I could sense Edward's emotion well enough but I didn't feel it as if it was my own. It was the most relaxed I'd felt since being a vampire. Now if I could just keep Leah in a good mood all the time. Her happiness felt great but when she was bad, it was bad.

Leah sat up from where she was leaning against the porch's support beam and scooted forward as if to allow them to pass.

"She just wants proof that you aren't my girlfriend." Edward said drolly, glancing at Leah and then me with an irritated face. He wasn't trying to hide it.

"Oh! Well...proof!" Leah said, simply, motioning to her legs on my lap. Bella narrowed her eyes.

"That doesn't mean anything."

"I'm not going to fuck him in front of you, if that's what you think, Isabella." Leah snapped. Her anger was only a sharp lance and then gone. "We don't live to suit you, ya know. Proof enough that I didn't just punch your face in for being a stalker all week."

"I wasn't stalking him!" she crowed out.

Leah snorted and I had to smile at the amusement I felt from her. "Alice!" she called toward the house, turning back to Bella after. "Let's settle this." She glanced to Edward as if just realizing she was all in his business, but he just nodded.

The door opened and Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett came outside. Alice looked defeated and I knew she'd been hoping to not have this confrontation. Otherwise she would have came out after hearing Bella's truck.

"Yeah?" she asked quietly.

"Bella's here." Leah said simply, swiveling on the porch to allow my siblings down from the porch. She leaned into me and took my hand before threading her fingers through mine. Bella had been watching the whole time and I could finally feel doubt leaking into her swirl of crazed anger, jealousy, and hurt.

Alice walked down the steps slowly, as if nervous, and Rose and Em followed.

"Bella, Edward and I are together." she admitted. "I'm sorry if we hurt you. But we love one another a-"

"What about me! And Jasper? You two were so happy together. When did all of this happen?"

"It happened Saturday. All of it. Jasper and I broke up. I got with Edward. Jasper met Leah. But I've had feelings for Edward for a long time." Alice glanced back at me, concerned, but I shook my head. I really was okay. She looked back to Bella. "I really am sorry, Bella."

"But I-"

"Jeez Bella!" Rosalie finally snapped. "Just stop! You aren't getting him back. You can beg, plead, cry, and pout but it won't mean anything. Leah is with Jasper and Alice is with Edward. He's taken. Try to find some logic all you want but you're arguing a point that doesn't matter to anyone."

We were all deadly quiet for a minute. Edward and Alice were both glaring at Rosalie and as angry as she was and trying to look like she didn't care, I could tell she was already regretting it. She didn't want anyone angry with her.

"Rosalie's right." Leah spoke up, earing those glares turned to her. "You guys aren't doing something right. She needs to understand that the behavior she's imploring isn't going to get her what she wants. And she may be hurt, and feel betrayed. Maybe she even loved Edward. But that isn't his fault and she's trying to play on his pity. I already said all of this before but she's not getting it. If the cold hard truth will make her listen, let Rose give it to her."

Rosalie smiled then, gratefully, and Emmett too. Leah's head dropped back onto my shoulder and she sighed. "We should go to your room." she suggested, glancing up at me innocently.

I felt the smile and was unable to stop it. But I didn't care. I stood quickly, scooping her up in the process and we blurred upstairs before anything more could be said to keep Leah downstairs in their arguement.

When I stopped in my room, Leah gasped for air. "You have to warn me when you're gonna do that!" she cried, whacking me in the chest. But then she smiled.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just wondering if I could be loud enough for Bella to hear me too."

"You're evil."

She shrugged. "She wanted proof."


	25. Winning approval: Edward

**Edward's POV**

Emmett's huge grin was contagious and I could barely keep from laughing out loud. I was trying to keep on a straight face and listen to Bella. To try to get her to understand.

Jasper was usually more proper than this, but he indulged Leah, and I wasn't picking up many thoughts from him. His thoughts were practically nonexistent, pictures of what he and Leah were doing right at that second being the only thing filling his mind.

The loud thumping sound of my old black couch rocking against the floor and hitting the wall had Rosalie smirking beside her husband. You'd think since Jasper didn't have a bed they'd be quieter. No headboard hitting the wall. But it wasn't. I think Bella could even hear it faintly. The couch was rocking with the force of what they were doing and I blinked when a vision of Leah being pounded down into the cushions flashed through my mind. Suddenly, the sounds stilled and I heard a faint grunt from Jasper and then "GOD!" Leah screamed. "JASSSSSSper!"

Emmett dissolved into hearty guffaws and Rose snickered. Alice bit back a giggle and I just smirked. "Is she okay?" Bella asked hurriedly.

"More than okay." Emmett said so smugly you'd think he was the one that had Leah screaming.

A faint squeaking started up again and I groaned. I could hear Leah's panting breath and Jasper's murmured endearments. "Right therrrre...God!" She was trying to whisper now, but it wasn't working.

I realized suddenly that no one was talking. We were all just waiting around and listening.

"So..." I interrupted, pushing Jasper's visuals to the back of my head. The whimpers I could hear were _not _helping at all.

**Emmett's POV**

Leah and Jasper came outside not even ten minutes after their couch-session had ended. Jasper's hair was a little ruffled but his clothes were straight and tidy. Leah, on the other hand, had smoothed her hair down and finger-combed it to perfection but she was still working on lining the seams of her jeans up and smoothing her shirt's wrinkles out.

Jasper rose a brow at Bella still being in the yard.

"She's still not getting it." Rosalie answered his questioning look.

"What's not to get?" Leah wanted to know, looking to my wife. Rose just shrugged in that way that said _'I have no idea, girl.'_ They really were too much alike. And at the same time, so different. The ice queen of disdain and disgust and the hot-headed bitch of fury and outrage. That outrage wasn't so hot right now, just a simmering exasperation with the human. She glanced to Bella. "He does NOT love you. He loves Alice. He does NOT want you. He wants Alice. He does NOT need you. He needs Alice. He wants you to leave him alone. It's not that difficult, Isabella."

"Leah..." Jasper started.

Not acknowledging his warning/pleading and not waiting for Bella to find words to dispute her claim, Leah glanced to me. "Was she waiting for an escort again?" she asked, motioning to Bella. Before anyone could answer, she was loping down the steps and catching Bella's arm in a punishing grip. Leah never stopped her fast pace, causing Bella to whirl around with the momentum and stumble forward with the she-wolf.

"HEY! Let me go! Stop! You're hurting me! Edward, help!" Bella was crying out, the whole time Leah continued to drag her toward her truck. The door was flung open and once again, Bella was unceremoniously tossed inside.

"Watch your feet!" Leah called, already shutting the door. Bella shuffled backwards hurriedly to avoid the door slamming her ankle. Her eyes turned murderous and she reached for the handle to get back out. Leah leaned against the door. "Bella, please. Just go away." she sighed, sounding annoyed and tired.

"MOVE!" Bella demanded. Leah rose a brow. "Move." she said again, her voice sounding a little more respectful, but also very firm.

Leah chuckled. "Go home." she demanded right back. "Now, Bella, before you try my patience."

"Excuse me?" Bella shrieked. "You have no say in this! You're not a Cullen! You're not even a girlfriend! You're just Jasper's new fuck-toy."

I could see Jasper step forward in the corner of my eye, expecting the worse, but when he untensed a little, I figured the words hadn't been able to set Leah off. To look at her, you'd actually think she was highly amused by that statement. "Isn't that exactly what you've been here being for over the last two hours?"she asked Bella in a smug, but amused tone.

Bella looked shocked for a second before sputtering indignantly and huffing. "I LOVE Edward."

"And I love Jasper." Leah replied calmly. Jasper tensed again and I smiled a little. We knew Leah loved Jasper. She had to, because of the Imprint. But it hadn't sounded like that. It sounded like _she _was saying it. Like her mind, body and heart loved him too, along with her soul.

"You've barely known him a week."

"And I've spent more time with him in that week than your dates with Edward and the little notes you pass him in class add up to."

"You TOLD her that?" Bella demanded of Edward. But my brother looked pretty shocked by Leah's insight, so when Leah began chuckling, I had to join in.

"I've barely spoken to Edward. It's just something very teeny-bopperish to do." She shrugged. "Figured you did it."

Bella's face flamed bright red in humiliation. "LOOK, you l-"

"No. YOU look! I'm tired of you! You come here, starting argument and little scenes and we can't get any peace. You're psychotic, delusional, stalkerish and plain fucking pathetic. Even if Edward didn't have Alice, which we've all told you several times that he does, why would he ever want to be with someone like you?" Her face was twisted in disgust and I was finally getting a clear view of why she was called the Bitch of La Push. Sure, I'd seen her being brave and unafraid, fighting viciously, and stubborn as a mule, but never ahd I seen her being downright mean. "Why would anyone want someone like you?" she finished.

Bella threw herself against the door suddenly, trying to get out. She looked absolutely furious, her face burning with anger and embarassment. When Leah didn't budge, she started to scoot across the benchseat to the passenger door. Leah reached in and gripped her hair. Bella stilled with a little whimper of pain.

Edward moved forward but was stopped with a hand on his shoulder from Jasper and a scowl from Rosalie.

Leah's voice was practically a growl when it came out next in a low warning. "Last chance, Bella. Leave now. Because if you get out of this fucking truck, I'm going to make it my life mission to beat you black and blue, whether it happens here or I have to track you down to do it." She glanced over her shoulder at our assembled family. "Edward is too much of a gentleman to let me at you, but I promise, he can't protect you all the time."

If I was struck dumb, Edward and Jasper were utterly shocked. Alice looked heartbroken over the whole ordeal, and Rose looked like she'd just got her Christmas present early...a kindred spirit.

Bella sat shocked for a moment until Leah released her and pulled her hand out of the truck's window. Another moment of silence went by before Leah bounced on her feet like an excited child and double-tapped the roof of the truck. "Buckle up!" she said cheerfully, coming back to us quickly. She wrapped an arm around Jasper's and leaned into him. "You're not mad, are you?"

Her little pout on her face as she looked up through her eyelashes was enough to send my into hysterics again. "Geez! I don't think I've ever laughed _this _much!" I announced.

Bella's truck flared to life and we all watched as she spun gravel as she turned. I don't know if it was panicked fear or an attempt to show her anger, but I laughed anyway. Leah and Rosalie joined us soon and then Jasper, the whole time shaking his head as if we were silly children. Edward joined after a moment and I even heard a few titters from Alice before we managed to sober up. Finally, we all headed back into the house.

**Edward's POV**

Alice and Rosalie were reading fashion magazines. Jasper and Leah were reading from different books and Emmett was watching the Sports channel. After finishing my book, I stood and crossed over to my piano. The song I played was something I'd wrote myself, with the soft soothing melody of something destined to become a classic.

Leah looked up from her book suddenly, a look of complete wonder on her face. A pleased smile spread across her face and I could barely believe how innocent she looked for a moment. She set down her book on the coffee table and stood before coming around the couch. She leaned against the back, her intense eyes on me, and I faltered for a split second, wondering what she saw.

"You're really good." she finally said. "I thought that was just decoration."

"Well...we're pretty old. We have an appreciation for the classical."

She looked like she was trying to decide if I'd just insulted her or not, and I realized that it probably sounded like I was calling her people savages or something.

Finally, she just shrugged and said, "Me too."

"What's this then?" I asked, glancing down at my hands roaming over the keys in graceful coordination.

"Never heard this one."

I smiled. "Trick question. I wrote this."

Her eyes widened. "You wrote this?"

I nodded and she walked forward a little, closing her eyes like I did many times, as if she were trying to _feel _the song. And then suddenly, she was swaying with the music, her hips going from side to side in a smooth motion. I was a little apprehensive, thinking that any moment she would break into some crude hip-grinding, but she didn't.

Unexpectedly, as her hips swished to the right, her arms seemed to follow, coming up above her head in graceful arcs. Her left leg rose behind her and bent, as if circling her body and she came up onto the toes of her right leg. The pose looked easy enough, but difficult too, at the precision she used, but despite that, it only took her a second to do it, and then she was shifting poses, going from one to the next with such fluidity, that it looked like a coreographed ballet.

And I just kept watching, starting the song over and over so she would continue. Finally, the song ended for the fourth time and she went onto tip-toe and bent her other leg, placing her foot against her knee, her arms outstretched as she spun around.

She stopped at the last cord, her hair falling back down to surround her face. Her eyes were sparkling in excitement and she was slightly flushed.

I dropped my hands from the piano and started to clap, hearing my siblings join me soon after. Leah's face turned bright red and I had to smile. I'd never seen her look anything but angry or confident. Worried, yes, but never actually embarassed. She bowed awkward, but with a goofy grin, and smoothed her hair back self-consciously.

"I..uh, took ballet for awhile."she revealed uncertainly.

Leah, even when viciously attacking someone, made it look feminine. Like a very agressive female. Which I guess, she really was. But I think I liked this dainty side of her.


	26. Winning approval: Emmett

**Emmett's POV**

Finally, a thunderstorm was coming to town. I'd been waiting for what seemed like forever for something, anything, to do. Something I didn't do every freaking day of my life. I actually wished sometimes that I could still sleep. That I still ate, and used the bathroom, just so I'd have something to do.

But no. School and hunting was all I'd ever be able to do because I was stuck in a body that could never pass for more than 24 and nothing less than 16. Sometimes...sometimes I really missed being human.

But sometimes was not right now. Because we were playing baseball.

Everyone had changed into their uniforms and we were coming out of the house in a group when I smelled it. I groaned in irritation and Jasper shot me a questioning/hurt look. One that obviously said, 'I thought you liked Leah.'

Yeah, Leah seemed cool. Brazen and bold and fucking ridiculously hot with her tanned skin and black-as-night hair, but right now she was just screwing everything up.

When she finally broke through the trees, she was still smoothing out her shirt and then plucking leaves and debris from her hair. Something about her coming out all disheveled and her heart beating fast from the adrenaline of phasing would always seem erotic to me, even after the many times I'd seen it, but I was still too irritated to care right now. I wanted to play!

"Hey...what's with all the uniforms? I didn't know you guys had a family team." Any other time I would've laughed, right now I was impatient.

"We were actually just about to leave." Jasper told her, seeming a little torn. And this was exactly why I knew she was going to ruin everything. Jasper probably wouldn't come now and he was one of the best players...my main competition because he was very close to being as strong as me and very close to being as fast as Edward. He may not be the best of either but with them combined...he was better than both of us. Unless we joined forces against him.

"Oh." Leah said, her voice softer than I'd ever heard before. She shrugged and smiled, a touch dissappointed but nothing too bad. "Well...you guys have fun. I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Leah..." Just the way he said it had me groaning internally in yet even more annoyance. Jeez...Jasper, she's gonna be fine! Please just come on before the thunder stops and you ruin it all! "You want me to stay? Because I will." NO! Don't stay! The storm's gonna be gone soon!

Leah smiled again. "That's sweet. But really...go. I'll go find Seth or something. Have fun." She sounded very sincere, but Jasper-the-empath couldn't let it go.

"You're dissappointed."

She looked a little frustrated too. Can't hide anything from him. Even if it's for his own fucking good. He just wasn't getting it. "Only because I wanted to spend time with you." she conceded. "But really, Jasper...I'll get over it. I'll feel worse if you miss out because of me."

"Really?"

Leah nodded emphatically. "Really. I think Emmett really really wants to go. And you're holding them up. So go. I'll be fine. I'll see you tomorrow when you get back from school, okay?"

He didn't seem happy with that. There were a few tense seconds of silence.

"Or I could come back tonight." she suggested, trying to mollify him.

He seemed to weigh that option for a little too long. "Jesus! Just come on! She's fine!" I pressed.

He looked back to me with a glare. "I know, I just-"

"Jasper...why not ask Leah if she'd like to come?" Esme suggested.

Ugh...Alice, Rose, and Esme were fine...but most chicks are a real downer when it came to sports. Say no, Leah. Say no, please.

"If that's okay..." she hedged, looking to my blonde brother.

He smiled. "Great. Come on."

**Leah's POV**

Getting to the clearing took longer than I'd thought it would, but I think it was my fault. I mean, I can run fast...just as fast as them probably, but I can't do it tirelessly. I'm not a freaking Vampire. Or Superman.

We were there soon enough though, and they set up the field and we all clustered around home plate. "I'd say Rose, Leah, Emmett, and Jasper on one team. Edward, Esme, Alice, and I on the other." Carlisle stated.

I knew the reason for this. Not only did it seem fair since Emmett was so strong and Jasper was a great player...that's what he'd said anyway...opposed to Edward's speed and Alice's visions, and then Rose to Carlisle since they were both good players and me to Esme since she was the most gentle or whatever, but it was also because placing couples on the same team would most likely keep squabbles down.

While I could definitely see Rose or Emmett berating the other for not doing something right, I think the fights would be worse when one turned out to be a sore loser and held their lover responsible. I had to agree that Carlisle was a smart guy. Sure I'd figured it out but I wouldn't have thought ahead of time to preventing the problem from even happening.

So Alice was pitcher, Esme the umpire, and Carlisle and Edward were out in the field while we batted first. Emmett, the overzealous lug, grabbed the metal bat before any of us could even think to ask who wanted to go first.

His bat zipped through the air, whacked with incredible force with the perfect toss from Alice, and then the ball was gone. When I looked over, so was Emmett. And as I watched the blur pass second base, I finally saw Edward coming back with the ball. Emmett stopped on third and Edward tossed the ball to Alice for another pitch. I blinked a little lazily. That had all just happened in like three seconds.

Damn, this was going to be hard.

**Emmett's POV**

"You're not trying your best." I informed Leah as she stepped up behind Rose, waiting for her chance to bat. It was the last inning and we were ahead by seven, but the others got to bat after us. We had two outs and one was from Leah. She'd seemed to get outted once every inning. And that would be fine, if she was doing her best. But she wasn't.

"Yes, I am." she said evenly, turning to look at me for a moment before looking back to the field.

"No, Leah. You're not." I argued. I knew she wasn't. I saw it. "You're holding back. Not with the running, that you're doing fine with, but the batting sucks."

She huffed. "Well, I'm trying."

I shook my head. "Not hard enough. You're not going to break the bat, you know. And we're all just as strong as you. You have no reason to hold back."

She turned to me again, shoulders tense. "I always have to hide how strong I am. It's hard to let it all out, okay?" She was starting to get aggitated and that was good. Maybe that would help with letting her strength out.

"Maybe you're just not as strong as I thought." I said with a put upon dejected sigh. "Maybe you really are hitting as hard as you can."

Her eyes flashed fury for a moment before narrowing. "I know what you're doing."

"Oh, really?"

Her nostrils flared. "Yes!" she hissed. "And it's working, I'll admit. Because now I have to rub your face in it."

I had to smile at her honesty. "If you can."

She scoffed and stalked to the plate, fitting the bat in her hand and then taking a stance. I could heard her grumbling under her breath but could only catch a couple of the words. "Stupid fucking vampire...doesn't know me...I could...he'll see...show him...whatever...stupid sonofa...outta the park...know what hit him...for all I care...since I was six years old." I laughed a little and her head whipped back around. The glare she sent me was murderous and heated with rage and indignation. She looked back toward Alice and her shoulders tensed.

The ball came our way, Leah swung with all her might...and for a moment I thought she'd completely missed. I mean, the ball was really fast and hard to see and Leah'd swung so wildly that I wasn't sure what she thought she was doing, but then I heard the loud cracking of the ball slamming against the bat and then the whistling as it suddenly changed direction and slashed through the air.

It went into the trees behind Edward and Carlisle and Leah toward first base, dropping the bat like a hot potato and hauling ass. She made it to second base before I could heard Edward coming back toward us. She must have heard too because she pushed herself harder, and I remembered suddenly that Seth had said something about her being the fastest of the wolves. Carlisle moved to third base and the ball hit his hand just after Leah passed him.

He hurled the ball toward Esme, who stood near the home plate, but Leah's foot had already hit the base. I stood there, my mouth gaping.

She'd been so fast...

And then, still pumped from the run and making it, her heart beating fast and looking flushed, Leah turned to me, threw her hands in the air, and said, "Boom!" in a way that I knew very well. Her entire face just screamed, 'Whatcha think about that?' and then she was somersaulting and cartwheeling in the grass in quick jerky movements like she had to get this energy out of her.

When she finally seemed to calm down enough, she ran full speed at me and right when I was about to step back, wondering what the hell she was doing, she chest bumped me.

Once again...I was gob-smacked. "DID YOU SEE ME?" she asked excitedly.

I laughed. "Yeah."

"I was here before Carlisle could even comprehend he'd lost me. I was like..."

Leah kept talking animatedly about what we'd already seen but I was studying her. She was different. Really different than any girls I'd ever met.

I mean, I'd seen her being an ice-queen on Rosalie's level when she faced off Jasper, but then I'd found out that she wasn't normally like that.

She had a quick temper like my Rose though, and her and Jasper were aggressive together in bed. I think it was good that him and Alice broke up. He isn't as tame as she had everyone thinking and now he could really express himself.

Enough naughty thoughts though. I just couldn't really comprehend his new girl. I couldn't wrap my head around her. She'd been reading novels, listening to Edward's classical music, and dancing ballet just last night, fighting tooth and nail, prepared to die, just last week, and now she was chest-bumping and talking to me about sports.

I liked all of her facets so far, but I think this just-one-of-the-guys one was my favorite.


	27. Winning approval: Esme

**Emmett's POV**

After the baseball game, Leah was officially accepted into my mind as my sister. I knew Edward really liked her too. And for Edward, that was a big deal. And I was sure everyone else liked her, and they were comfortable around her, but she was still a bit on the outs with them.

Edward found out, that not only was she a ballerina, but she knew piano. Not enough to make her own songs or anything, but she could play, and he was teaching her more.

She'd came by in the last few days to watch various games on the television with me and I was starting to really get attached.

The knock on the door told me what I already knew was coming. Leah was here.

Jasper was at the door in a second, pulling it open. "Hey." he said quietly, kissing her sweetly as he escorted her into the livingroom.

"You guys were about to leave." she observed, catching my tense posture on the couch and us both wearing our less-liked clothing.

"Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, and I were going to go hunting." Jasper told her, that apologetic tone in his voice again. "Rose and Alice went to the mall."

Leah nodded and kissed him again. She sighed heavily, a put upon look in her eye. "I guess I'll just go back to the Rez then. No cowboys and Indians today." She smiled brightly at Jasper's chuckle, although I was too preoccupied wth my own laughter to hear it too loudly. "I'll be back later." she told him, starting back toward the door.

**Esme's POV**

The smell of nature were present, so I knew I must have missed the sound of a knock at the door. Leah was here. She still had the undercurrent of animal on her, but she also had a very distinct scent from the forest. Like trees and flowers...but not the flowery perfume...real flowers. And something I couldn't quite place. Something crisp and sharp that reminded me of cold, starry nights by the river. It was wierd, but it was what she reminded me of.

Setting my groceries on the kitchen counter, I started toward the livingroom.

If I could, I would've blushed at her 'cowboys and Indians comment' but I had to smile when Jasper's chuckles accompanied Emmett's booming laughter. Jasper seemed much happier with Leah around. Looser.

"I'll be back later." I heard her say as I rounded the corner.

"Leah!" I called, stopping her progress. She turned with lifted brows. Surprise or just curiousity, I wasn't sure, but it seeming reassuring. Approachable.

I couldn't believe how nervous I was. But I wanted this girl to like me. To let me like her.

"Yes?"

"While everyone's gone..." I hesitated, before forcing my courage up again and continuing, "I thought I could make dinner. Just the two of us. We could get to know one another better."

"Uh..." She looked to Jasper. She seemed hesitant and while I felt a knot in my stomach, I dared to hope that maybe she was as nervous as me. Jasper and Emmett were both watching me, twin expressions of worry on their faces and I realized that while Jasper could feel my anxiety, I must also be showing it.

I straightened, forced a smile and waited.

After a moment of staring at Jasper, who finally glanced to her and smiled, Leah turned back to me and smiled. "I'd love to. Thank you, Esme."

I would have sighed in relief if I'd had any breath to be holding. Instead, I just nodded, and her smile brightened. "What would you like to eat?"

Her smiled got impossibly wider and brighter. "Whatcha got?"

**Leah's POV**

The boys...well, men...had left about twenty minutes ago, and I sat at the kitchen island and watched Esme cook in the awkward silence. It seemed she wanted to wait for the food before we started conversation. By her tense shoulders, I realized that she was as nervous about this as me.

I mean...this was essentially like a meet-the-parents type dinner. Any lunches we'd had before was different. I'd been hurt the first time. Then Seth was there and Bella had shown up. Since then, it was mostly me snacking while they did regular things.

Dinner with Jasper at the Mexican place had been alone.

I'd never had to sit down across from his 'mother' and answer questions about myself. And since she didn't eat, it would be even more awkward. She'd just stare the whole time while I fretted about appearing like a good type of girl for her 'son'.

I almost groaned aloud at the sudden dread filling me.

Forcing myself away from those thoughts, I stepped closer to the stove and beside Esme. "You need any help?" I asked, watching her toss the chicken and vegetables and noodles together. It amazed me that someone who didn't eat could cook so well.

I mean, sure she'd been human once, but it was a long time ago.

"I'm fine. The parmesan is almost done. And the garlic bread is ready. You could toss the salad." she suggested, turning to give me a sweet smile. I smiled back, grateful for the task and nodded before going the center island and washing my hands.

**Esme's POV**

Leah began chopping the lettuce on the cutting board as I finished the last stirring of the chicken parmesan before ladling it onto a plate. I added four slices of garlic bread, knowing that Leah was a big eater, and turned to set the plate on the counter while I got her something to drink.

"Esme?" Leah asked suddenly, staring down at her hand as she continued to chop a carrot for the salad.

"Yes?" I asked, surprised by her soft tone.

"Do you..." she paused her movement, glancing at me for only a moment, before going back to work. I watched her swallow several times and blink harshly. With her head bowed, I didn't know until I smelled the salty scent that she was trying not to cry. "Do you think I'm a bad person?"she finally asked, her voice tight.

I could only stare for a moment, before my brain kick-started and I rushed to assure her. "No! Honey, no, why would you think that?" I was standing beside her, a hand on her arm before I even realized it.

She laid the knife down, and I readied to hug her, but she started scooping the prepared ingriedients into a bowl. Of course, Leah was tough. She wouldn't be open to physical contact so quickly. Seth and Jasper were the only people I'd ever seen her show genuine affection for. Fondness was easy. She was fond of Edward and Emmett, and the rest of us to a smaller degree, but she cared deeply for Seth and Jasper. Her words brought me back to the situation at hand. "I just...I was thinking of how great of a mom you seem." Her voice was choked up now and I felt a stinging in my eyes as well...the closest to tears I could become.

"Yes?" I prodded.

"And my own mom isn't like that. I mean, after the pack business got out and she knew what Sam was doing... and then my date with Jasper...she was interested and helpful. For a few days. And then, it went back to the avoiding thing. It's like, she knows she has to protect and nurture us. But she doesn't actually care. She...she doesn't actually love us, ya know?"

I was struck dumb. How could anyone not love thier kids?

"It's like...she has a duty. A destiny. A job. That's all she sees us as. And I don't understand. I mean, my dad loved us. I think, he did. Am I just not a good person or something?"

I ignored the knowledge that she wouldn't appreciate a hug and pulled her into my arms. She _needed _a hug. And she allowed it.

For about four seconds. When she tried to pull away, I held firm. Instead of starting an altercation and looking confrontational, she went slack in my arms. "I'm okay now, Mrs. Cullen."

"Esme." I admonished, holding tighter. "And you're not okay. You have to know, Leah honey, that you are a very lovable person. Because if you weren't, and that was why your mother didn't care, then doesn't that mean Seth was unlovable too?"

I knew her brother was very dear to her and I didn't have to wait long for her protests. "No. Seth is lovable! I love him! He's my family. My everything before Jasper came along. And you all. He was the reason I never ended it all or ran away before." She was shaking her head against my shoulder as she spoke and I rubbed her back to comfort her.

"You see. You're not unlovable. Your mother is just unable to love. This is not your fault." I told her firmly, rubbing her back harder as I felt a tear soak through the silk of my blouse to my shoulder.

She nodded a little and finally put her arms around me, squeezing back. It was a testament to her strength that it felt like more than a caress. It actually felt like a hug. Most humans felt like skin contact was all they were making, no pressure behind it.

And it was wierd. To feel the embrace like this, and it was hot. My family and other vampires felt warm to my touch, because it was the same temperature of my own skin. But Leah was burning. Going past human temperature and up at fever levels.

It wasn't uncomforable though. Almost like the heat of a hot tub. You get used to it after a moment.

"Are you okay now?" I asked gently, not feeling another tear and feeling slightly uneasy. One tear was all?

But she didn't answer in words. The next thing I knew, her hold got tighter and she was sobbing against me. Great, wracking sobs as she clung to me.

For the first time in my vampire existence, someone was needing me. Counting on me. Depending on me.

I knew every one of my family loved me, but having Leah in my arms and crying, bearing her soul to me, was almost magical. It was heartbreaking and so unexpected given her tough exterior, but I felt enormously special to be her shoulder at that moment.

I knew that Leah was a very complicated person, but I really liked knowing that underneath it all, she was a sensitive soul.


	28. Winning approval: Rosalie

**Rosalie's POV**

I may not have liked Leah personally, but I respected her. And I liked the fact that she made Jasper happy.

After what Alice and Edward did to him...which I wouldn't have forgiven, by the way...I was glad that he was happy with someone else. Someone that seemed way more intense and focused on _him_ than Alice had been.

The first time that Jasper and Leah had sex in the house, I was honestly surprised.

Jasper and Alice had sex, but it was always so tame, so I figured it was because they were _both _that kind of people.

I mean, I was turned in 1933, only like thirteen years after Alice. We were from around the same time, and Emmett only two years after me, but we were both wild. So I assumed Alice just wasn't that crazy in bed. And I was right about that.

But I was fooled by Jasper.

He always let Alice walk him around like her personal puppet, and he was so quiet and reserved. And he didn't seem pompousy-quiet like Edward's too-good-to-talk-to-you attitude. It was like a shy, too-scared-to-talk-to-you kind. Even if he wasn't really scared. He was just always nervous around people.

Anyway, I'm digressing. The point is, I let that make me believe he'd also been tame like Alice.

And then Alice had got with Edward, and the sex remained vanilla and bland. They sounded like they were having fun and if it works, I can't really criticise. I mean, Esme and Carlisle still aren't bored of it. But it would never work for me and Emmett.

And then Jasper got with Leah, and my world was turned upside down. They were rough! Her, I wouldn't even doubt being crazy, but Jasper took charge and was rough with her.

I'd never seen it coming. Smiling slightly, I bent back over the hood of my Mosarati and chuckled. Whatever made Jasper happ-

"Want some help?"

I shrieked and whirled around, glaring daggers at the Quilette standing there with a smirk and lifted brow. "What the hell?"

She shrugged. "I asked if you wanted any help."

"Yeah, I heard that!" I snapped out, glaring coldly.

Her eyes flared for a moment. "Fine. I was just trying to-"

"You know anything about cars?" I interrupted, watching her closely. I knew that the fierce thing was mostly a wall, a mask, but masks were as much a part of you as the real you underneath. Hell, I knew that firsthand.

"Of course." she answered with a snort. I watched her for another moment, in which she just looked right back. While I was impassive, she looked impatient.

"Alright." I said finally, waving her over. It would be nice to have someone to hang out with while doing this. No one else liked it much, even if Emmett was good at it. She joined me by the hood and started to look around the engine for any problems.

"There doesn't look like anything's wrong." she commented.

I smiled slightly. "There isn't. I was just checking it over."

She nodded her head slightly and snorted. "This was some kind of test." she commented and I smiled wider. I think I kinda liked Leah's mask.


	29. Winning approval: Alice

**Alice's POV**

"Just come out and show us." I hissed toward the dressing room door. Leah had been in there for five minutes arguing about a gorgeous dress I had chosen for her. I wondered if it was because I was the one that chose it that made her protest to it so vehemently. The annoying part, though, was that while she put it down in every other word she said, she wasn't actually changing out of the dress. She was just bitching some more.

"It's a stupid dress." she growled back.

I stood from the plush sofa facing the dressing rooms and stomped closer to her door. "Then forget it. Change and we'll go." I snapped. I was more than ready to get out of the damn mall and away from the harping she-wolf. Glancing over at Rosalie, I rolled my eyes at the impassive look she was throwing my way.

She always made me feel like I was over-reacting.

Turning back as I heard a door opening, I froze when Leah came out. She was wearing the dress...a gold wrap dress with no straps that contoured to her body perfectly. It looked like someone had got a long gold piece of material and wrapped her up mummy-style. From breasts to knees.

Her hair was still pulled back into a ponytail, but I knew it would look great if she took it down. To top it off, her skin...while on a slightly more reddish tint, was still very golden. The dress made it seem to glow more. "You _have _to get that." I blurted out. I couldn't help it. She looked like a freaking model.

She shook her head. "It's stupid."

Now that I saw her face, it didn't seem to be backing up her words. So I made my voice firmer. "But you look GREAT, Leah. Like...awesome."

"She's right, Leah. You do look gorgeous." Rosalie added.

I watched in confusion as Leah smiled back happily, but still denied it. "Nah. I...gold isn't my color. And I have the perfect black dress for Carlilse and Esme's anniversary. It'll look..."

Tuning Leah out, I watched as a vision played behind my eyes. One of Leah at the party in a pretty, but very plain, black dress and black heels. The whole ensemble screamed 'funeral' and I couldn't allow that.

The second vision though, involved buying and returning the gold dress.

Coming back into the present...I realized the problem.

She couldn't afford the dress. No wonder she didn't want to change out of it. She probably absolutely loved it. But she talked crap because she knew she couldn't get it and wanted to save face.

But wait. Why did she think we brought her shopping? We would have bought it, of course. She didn't have to put on this whole little performance. We would...

And then I realized that Leah would never allow that.

Later, maybe. When she was more comfortable with us. But now, when it seemed like we were just the family of her boyfriend...it would seem like charity and Leah Clearwater didn't take charity.

Leah came back out of the dressing room then, wearing her jeans and tee-shirt and holding the dress carefully in her right hand. I smiled slightly, having the idea for her next Christmas present. She would have that dress, I vowed to myself.

And then I realized something else, and smiled again.

I liked Leah. Oh, I had respected Leah before. I was even grateful to her, for loving Jasper. But at the mall I realized that despite, or maybe because of, her stubborness, we may just become friends on our own. I liked this proud, noble side of her.


	30. Winning approval: Carlisle

**Carlisle's POV**

"This was perfect." Esme whispered into my ear. I smiled down at her serenely and nodded my head. Each of our anniversary parties seemed better each year. "All of our children are finally happy." she continued, gazing out at our children mingling throughout the crowd.

The party was taking place in Seattle. Alice had reserved a large ballroom and had tons of our vampire friends attending. The party was just starting to dwindle down after six hours and people were heading out.

Alice and Edward stood by the doors and offered farewells to the departing guests while Rosalie and Emmett talked with the group from Denali. Jasper and Leah were partially hidden in the entrance to the hall that led to the bathrooms, kissing deeply.

"...but a mutt?" I heard Tanya Denali's voice clearly from across the room. I watched Leah break away from Jasper almost immediately. Of course she'd heard too. Jasper clasped a hand around her waist.

"Carlisle and Esme." he whispered in her ear. She stared straight into his face, flickering her gaze to me and my wife for only a moment, before nodding and resuming their make out session. I snickered lightly.

"She's actually not bad." Rosalie told the Alaskan Coven. "Jasper's happy with her. She's so many times better than Bella, it's not even funny, and she could actually kill you...so..."

"Hmph!"

"Come on, Tan!" Emmett spoke, slapping her loudly on the back. "You're just taking it out on her because she made it possible for Alice and Edward to be together and your little crush is useless now."

I heard muffled laughter and almost everyone turned to see Leah laughing against Jasper's mouth. Tanya hissed and Jasper pulled away with a smile and pulled Leah deeper into the hall, away from our eyes.

The Denali family parted soon after and our family seemed to materialize around us. We all left the hall and got into our cars for the trip back home.

Once we reached the house, Alice danced her way over to us, clapping excitedly. "What, Alice?"

"Your anniversary isn't over yet!" she smiled. "We all decided that we should do some activities for only the family!"

"And since normally, there would be a party and then a family dinner, we're going hunting!" Emmett exclaimed. "Good ole family hunt. Even Leah!"

"Dear, wouldn't that be uncomfortable for you?" Esme asked Leah.

Leah shrugged. "In my wolf form, it's actually good." she admitted. "I didn't like to before, because it made me feel less human. Especially _liking_ it. But...things change." She glanced at Jasper with a smile. She turned back to us. "But just a heads up, I don't just _drink _the blood...I _eat_ it. Not like...guts and stuff, although I could...you get the picture."

I laughed softly, nodding my head. "Yes, I do. Sounds fun."

So we took off into the forest. Leah kept up with us, even bypassing Edward sometimes. I knew the shifters were usually faster than us and that Leah was the fastest. The only problem was that they tired eventually while we did not as long as we fed.

We came upon a herd of deer and each sprang for our own meal. After finishing my kill, I straightened to see each of my children finish. Leah had torn her's apart and was eating the meat from the bones. It was brutal and she had done it so easily. She really was as strong as us.

Finally, she lifted her head, shifting almost instinctually and standing straight. Her hair was only a little past her shoulders and covered nothing but she seemed so comfortable with herself. Her body.

When the others finished, Rosalie forced Emmett's eyes away and Edward and Alice would have blushed if possible. Jasper stood and _I _would have blushed if possible by the way his eyes flickered down her body before meeting her face. He stepped closer and slowly and thoroughly kissed and licked every inch of blood from around her mouth, chin, and neck.

"Maybe you should go wolf, again, darling." he suggested, glancing around to his brothers and sisters.

"I forgot you guys were all born back when showing ankles was a crime." she snorted. "Damn, I guess I am a savage." she laughed.

He grinned her way. "You look beautiful. And very naked. darlin'."

It looked so natural on her, as if she had no problem with her nudity. She almost made me feel as if I was just overreacting.

"Well, being a werewolf makes it hard to keep clothes on, Cowboy. The boys ignore it mostly, until we have to go into town around people. I try to be more conscious of being around them naked but sometimes it's just not possible. I've gotten pretty comfortable with my nudeness." She looked to each of us. "Sorry guys, I didn't mean to make anyone uncomfortable." I watched avidly as she shivered and then went down on all fours again as a huge silver wolf.

Watching the change was fascinating. Her form seemed to twist and blur and expand. The hair sprouted and limbs grew and she hunched down and then she wasn't human anymore. It was very interesting.

She licked Jasper's hand and bumped his leg with her muzzle.

Back at the house, everyone reconvened in the diningroom. Leah was clothed, thankfully, and we all sat around the table quietly for a moment as we waited for Alice and Edward.

They reappeared moments later with stacks of boxes and set them on the table. Within moments they had all been opened.

Rosalie and Emmett had bought us plane tickets to Isle Esme for a getaway. The card said we deserved it. Edward had bought me a rare text of medical theory and Esme a beautiful necklace. I recieved a sweater from Alice. I'm sure it was expensive and a great brand, but I just liked the emerald green color so I smiled happily when I opened it. She had bought Esme a duplicate in a beautiful shade of red. Jasper had gifted me with a rifle and Esme with a small wooden cowboy hat. It looked like a charm since it had a small silver hoop in it.

Leah laughed loudly at our faces. I was confused, but grateful nonetheless for the present. What could I possibly need a rifle for?

"Show them, Leah." Edward said suddenly. Leah scowled his way but he just smiled back. "They'll love it." he reassured her. Alice harrumphed in irritation at her inability to see around the shapeshifter.

Jasper nodded to Leah in agreement with Edward and I watched in fascination as she stood and walked to the kitchen counter. She pulled a small black backpack off it and I wondered suddenly why she brought a backpack. She never came with more than the clothes on her back.

She came back to the table and brought out a present in purple wrapping. "Leah! You should have told us that you got presents!" Alice scolded her. My little pixie daughter had to be in control in these sort of events. Edward smiled at my thoughts and hushed Alice.

Leah handed the purple package to Esme nervously and my wife looked as if she may cry. She lifted her hand to tear the paper but Leah stopped her.

"Esme."

"Yes, dear?"

Leah fidgeted with her shirt. "I don't have money, ya know. So don't expect anything expensive."

Esme nodded sincerely and ripped the paper away. Inside was a pretty light beige leather bound journal. She had drawn tribal symbols along the front and spine. I couldn't read the words, of course, but they looked beautiful. Esme's brow furrowed and she opened the book. I leaned over to see the first page and it was a recipe to some sort of traditional Quileute delicacy.

"It's a cookbook." Leah informed everyone. "It's mostly regular food that my people modified in some way but there are some that are rare. I know you can't eat but you seemed to love cooking. And since I'm the only one who eats here, there some of my favorite foods in there." She laughed in a self-deprecating manner.

Esme looked up to Leah and smiled. "This is...this is just amazing. That was very sweet of you Leah."

"I got you something else. Well, I _made_ you something else." This time she pulled out a small little cardboard box and handed it over. Esme pulled the top off and brought out a small bracelet.

It was dark brown, and very well made, but obviously hand-woven. Several trinkets hung down, all hand carved from dark wood.

"I tried my best to make the Cullen crest, but it's very detailed and I'm not the best carver on the Rez." she explained. I saw the one she meant and it looked very good. "The heart is obviously for Carlisle. The music note symbolizes Edward. The pixie is Alice. The bear is for Emmett. The little car is Rosalie. And the wolf is me."

"And the cowboy hat is Jasper." Esme responded with a choked voice. I smiled sweetly at my wife when she hugged the shifter hard.

"Made it myself." my soldier son drawled with a smirk.

"The second, taller and skinnier wolf is Seth. He demanded to be on it and even made the wolf himself." Leah added, to which Esme dry-sobbed against her shoulder.

"I love it Leah."

They pulled away and Leah smiled softly, hesitantly. "I'm glad."

Alice, Rosalie, and Edward murmured their own statements of awe at the gifts. "You gotta make me one of those, she-wolf!" Emmett grinned. She grinned back and nodded.

"And this..." She dug into her bag and brought out another present wrapped in yellow paper. "This is for you, Dr. Cullen."

"Carlisle." I corrected her, taking the present from her hand. I ripped the paper away to see another journal. The leather was darker and cracked in some places. Aged. There were no words but a large symbol had been painted in bright red on the front. I realized immediately that it matched the tattoo on her shoulder. "It's my journal." she explained.

I looked up, flabberghasted. "Why? What? Why wou-"

"There is nothing personal in it. Not too much. My mother bought it for me years ago but I never used it. Not until I phased for the first time."

The dawning realization left me winded when I needed no breath. "You-"

"Yes. God, I know I'd be thought a traitor if my tribe found out. But I trust you. Your family. And I know you wouldn't use it against us and I'd wind up telling you whatever your curious mind came up with anyway. So..."

Flipping through the pages, my eyes widened further and further in intrigue. Only the first ten or so pages were filled with her thoughts.

The days before, when she felt sick. The explosion that finalized the phase. The first day after, dealing with her father's death with what she thought was her own hand. It skipped several months and she explained in great detail the ups and downs of being a werewolf.

One page had 'The Legends' written in large, swirly script and then she had taken the time to write down every legend in her tribe that pertained the spirit wolves or the Cold Ones.

After came a page labeled 'My Pack' And the last ten pages had two pictures on each page. There would be a tall, muscular man. And a huge wolf. And then a small biography on each.

"I don't know if you should give me this type of responsibility." I whispered.

She frowned a little. "You can give it back when you're done reading it, if you like. I just knew you were curious and I made sure to have all the information I had in there. The imprinting and biological stuff, which isn't really much."

"This lists all your strengths and weaknesses." I insisted.

"We already know yours." she responded. "I don't believe that would help you anymore. You know about the pack mind now but you can't interfere with it. You knowing we're almost as strong as you doesn't make you stronger or us weaker. "

"But the rifle is for in case they come after you if they ever find out that you have that much information on them." Jasper added. I chuckled with him and the rest of the family.

"They won't. Jasper's my imprint. It's pack law. And I believe that you wouldn't attack my brothers either." Leah added.

I stared at the copper-skinned girl for a long moment, in complete awe. When I felt my throat tighten, I cleared it and nodded my head. "Well, that was very trusting and generous of you, Leah." I finally announced, smiling her way. She looked relieved and I smiled a little more. I glanced back to Esme, to see her studying each charm on her bracelet intently. She looked ecstatic.

If I hadn't liked her already, I would have just fallen in love with my new daughter.


	31. I love you, Darlin'

**Jasper's POV**

The seven members of my family, myself included, stood on our side of the treaty line while Leah's pack of nine stood on the opposite side. Leah herself stood literally, where she also stood figuratively, right in the center.

Their new Alpha, Jared, stood in the center of them and slightly to the front. Jacob Black, the rightful Alpha, stood on his right and another man I didn't know stood on his left. Two older teenagers, one I remember being Quil, were beside Jacob and two younger teens were beside the unknown man on Jared's left. Sam Uley stood behind the younger teens, rage rising in him. Seth stood off to the side and a little forward, almost seperate from his pack, as he seemed to want to stand beside his sister.

"The Council has made a decision." Jared spoke up, getting everyone's attention. We weren't really sure where this was going, only that Leah had called and asked all of my family to meet her pack at the treaty line. "After Leah's appeal to them, they had no choice but to follow pack law. Jasper Whitlock Hale-Cullen, you are officially a member of the Quileute tribe through your imprint bond to a Quileute Protector."

I rose a brow in surprise, finally understanding the aggitation and anger from some of the pack members. Jared's third-in-command, Jacob Black, and Sam were the worst.

"The Treaty still applies to your family but Tribal Law clearly states that all Imprints are offical members of the Tribe. Sue and Billy believe this law is stronger than the treaty so from this day forward, as long as you are Leah's Imprint, you are welcome to La Push." A series of low growls sprung up from the Alpha and he rolled his eyes at their behavior. I grinned a little. "Imprints are not to be harmed, so none of us will touch you as long as the other points of the Treaty are not broken."

"So this doesn't mean you can go slaughter whoever you want!" the man to Jared's left growled.

"Paul!" Leah snapped, her tone warning. He growled right back.

"They're not vegetarians to keep us from hurting them." Seth explained to Paul. "We don't hurt them because they're vegetarians."

"Leech-lover." someone murmured near the back. Seth ignored them, still just smiling. It took a lot to get him down.

The Alpha spoke again, shutting the others up. "We still ask that you not hunt on our land, since we always have wolves on patrol. And if you were to hurt anyone, Jasper, well..."

"I understand." I spoke, nodding my head in acceptance. I was actually really proud to be able to come to La Push, there was nothing to keep Leah away from me now. It was ironic, though, that the Cullen with the least control was the only one most trusted by our natural enemies, the only one allowed onto Wolf territory. "I will hunt where I always have. I will not hurt anyone and I will only come to LaPush for Leah."

Leah smiled my way brightly.

"Thank you all for speaking with us." Carlisle stated, diplomatically. The meeting was ending and I walked closer to Leah as they finished their politely forced farewells.

Leah backed away from me with a teasing grin that I mimicked as I stalked closer. Crossing the line of the Treaty left me with a vaguely smug feeling, but I couldn't help it. Once I crossed, a few of the wolves watched me intensely, as if allowing me onto LaPush land would somehow turn me into a raving murderer. I ignored them and raced forward to grab up my Leah and toss her over my shoulder.

She squealed in laughter and I felt the utter shock from most of her pack before I turned and raced back to my home. Within minutes, I was tossing her onto the new bed I had bought for my bedroom. Her laughter had faded to giggles and I could feel desire slowly replacing her amusement.

I climbed on top of her, thinking of how much more sexual our relationship was compared to my relationship with Alice. We were so much like Rosalie and Emmett in this way since Alice and Edward and even Carlisle and Esme never seemed to enjoy each other physically as often as my little she-wolf and I.

While Leah and I could reach our fulfillment in moments with the speed we were capable of, we also had stamina above any human. I wondered idly just _how_ many times we could reach it before her body couldn't take anymore. Before she passed out or pleaded for a break.

A mischevious smile broke out on my face. "What are you grinning about, Cowboy?" she asked, a perfect brow raising up.

"I was just wondering how long you could keep up with me." I stated, challengingly.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously and a smirk grew on her face. "I know vamps don't tire or anything but I've ran for seventeen hours straight before."

"Seventeen, huh?" I mocked, leaning in closer. I started a trail of kisses up from her collarbone to her ear. Her breath caught as my hand found her breast. I felt her nipple harden instantly and the wave of lust that came from her almost buckled _my_ knees.

"Bring it, Cowboy." she breathed in my ear, bucking up and into my erection.

**Edward's POV**

"They've stopped." Rosalie stated, her entire voice relieved. I thought she'd be bitter or aggravated, but she just seemed happy it was over.

I nodded too, glancing to Alice beside me. I knew she was happy with me. And she was happy for Jasper too. But it would take her a little while to get over this blow to her ego.

_He was never this passionate with me. Is it me? Am I not as desirable? I know Leah is beautiful but-_

"Alice." I cut off her whirling thoughts. "Jasper has found his true mate. It was never anything against you."

She grinned slightly, curling closer to me on the couch. I stroked her hair affectionately and leaned back to get more comfortable.

Listening to almost twelve hours of non-stop sex between your sibling and his new girlfriend was extremely uncomfortable.

"You ready?" I heard Jasper whisper from upstairs. I shook my head in amusement, knowing that Leah's body was finally feeling tired. She couldn't possibly-

I stopped my thoughts, groaning aloud when I heard her thoughts. _Fucking smug hillbilly- _"Yup." she replied, her words accompanied by the rustling of bedcovers as she moved closer to him.

I could see her straddle him through Jasper's mind and I hurriedly concentrated on everyone else's thoughts to get the view of Leah's body out of my head. It felt like betrayal to just admire it.

The rhythmic thumping of a headboard got louder and faster as everyone in my family let out a collective groan. I watched Emmett grin broadly before looking at me. "I say she lasts at least another four hours." he told me. "Two hundred bucks backs me up."

I shook my head. No matter how stubborn Leah was, she couldn't last that long. "One." I told him, smiling smugly. He couldn't hear her thoughts, he didn't know.

**Leah's POV**

My entire body felt tired and sore. I knew for a fact that the last ten hours of sleep had healed most of the damage, because I'd felt raw down there before I'd went to sleep. Now though, I was just mildly uncomfortable.

Mildly in the way that you are after two or three rounds of rough sex.

I walked, with the slightest hint of a hobble, down the steps and into the kitchen. The meeting yesterday had been around four in the afternoon. I had went to sleep around ten or eleven this morning and now it was almost nine thirty at night.

"Good evening, Leah." Esme greeted me in the kitchen, a huge pile of bacon, eggs, toast, and waffles waiting for me.

I smiled gratefully and sat down, digging into the food immediately.

"Hey, she-wolf!" Emmett bellowed as he entered the kitchen with Jasper and Edward. My imprint had awoken me earlier to let me know of his brother hunting trip. "You were awesome last night!" he cheered, slapping me on the back.

"Hey, Emmy-bear." I shot back with a mischevious grin before going back to my food. I was too hungry to be embarassed or angry, I knew they'd hear us anyway. Plus, I was starving!

Edward came to sit in front of me while I ate, watching me in something between interest and disgust. "You are a very stubborn woman, Leah Clearwater."

"You shouldn't bet against me." I told him after swallowing a huge bite of bacon.

His face, if possible, would have either paled or flushed bright red. As it was, his mouth just opened in astonishment and embarassment for a split second before closing and he looked away.

Edward, Jasper, and even Esme, burst into laughter as I smiled at the mind-reader. "Don't worry, prude. I'm not mad. I won, didn't I?"

"Actually, I won." Emmett declared.

"I think_ I _was the one that won that bet." Jasper said, correcting him. I stood up after finishing my meal fit for four and went to wash my plate and fork. Esme quickly intercepted me and shook her head with a smile before i could protest. Jasper stepped forward and I ambled towards him. My body was already getting over the soreness so I walked straight again. Edward groaned at my thoughts. _Don't worry, Eddie, I'm not looking for another marathon._ He sighed. _Just yet._

I approached Jasper, pressing my body into his side in an entirely wolf-like manner. He grinned down at me before bowing his head to press his freezing, soft lips to my scorching ones. That little bolt hit like always, turning into a soft buzz as my lips seemed to warm his.

I didn't open my mouth, knowing the syrup-y taste on my tongue would taste like dirt to him but I still sighed into the kiss as the feeling of home, comfort, love, and desire enveloped me.

As I pulled back to rest my head on his shoulder, the words seemed to fall out before I could even think. "I love you."

I stilled for a moment, tensing up as I hurriedly tried to think, tried to remember if I'd ever told him that before. I knew it was true. Knew that it was beyond the imprint now. I knew that the imprint had made me get over his vampire-ness, get over Sam, and made me spend time with Jasper. But I also knew that _I _truly loved him now. I was pretty sure that he knew it too, being an empath and all. I just couldn't believe that I had admitted it for the first time in front of his family.

My dread was short-lived though as he used a finger to pull my face up, kissing me again before he said it back. It was so simple, said so easily but with no hesitation and with all sincerity and so much emotion. "I love you too, darlin'."


	32. fluff chapter: beyond the imprint

**Jasper's POV**

I wasn't exactly sure when I had fallen in love with Leah. Being so intuned to feelings, you think I would know the exact moment, but it had snuck up on me.

Meeting her in the woods had inspired fascination. The more fierce she appeared the more intrigued and aggravated I became. And then we'd went on our date and I was infatuated...smitten, if you will. I could feel the imprint-forced love and deep longing and her own affection toward me. We'd had sex, the best sex I ever remembered having...we'd connected like I'd never connected with anyone. My infatuation was deep and binding but I couldn't really call it love.

And then sometime over the weeks of getting to know her, being around my family, and fucking like rabbits, I'd fallen for her.

So hearing her say those words and then feeling her sudden dread and anticipation, I wanted nothing more than to dispel her worries. The words just happened to be completely truthful. I loved Leah. With everything inside of me...my heart, my blood, my body, my mind, and my soul.

I loved how she was abrasive, but never controlling to me because she knows that _she_ wouldn't like to be treated like that. I loved watching her face flush with rage and her predatory grace that was so different than a vampire's gliding gait. I loved how she was firm in her beliefs and sometimes acted on impulse before thinking of the consequences. I loved that she was confident, and then sometimes shy and embarassed. I loved that her little brother was her world and how her eyes got big and trusting after we'd made love. I loved all the different facets of her personality.

I loved her sleek shiny hair and long lashes. I loved her dark eyes and plump lips. I loved her shapely body and the way her heat seared and seeped into my cold skin. I loved the way she always tapered off in her kisses, shorter and shorter before ending with a simple peck.

I loved how her scent seemed to remind me of the forest more than dogs, now. I loved how her head came right below my nose when we stood close, perfect for her to rest her head in the crook of my neck or me to easily dip my head for a kiss. I loved how she could hunt with me and didn't mind letting me lick the blood from her mouth.

I loved how she rubbed her nose against mine or across my cheek to show affection or how she greeted me by pressing her body to my side like a wolf. I loved how she growled when she was pissed instead of hissing like we did. I loved how she whimpered or mewled when she begged me for more. I liked how her teeth bit into my shoulder when she climaxed, sharp enough to break skin but with no venom to leave scars.

I loved how she was loud while I was quiet, how she was dark where I was light, how she was rude when I was polite. I loved how we completed each other better than anyone ever could.

I loved Leah after a few weeks more than I ever loved Alice in our decades together.

And I loved simply sitting here with my favorite girl, having a peaceful night in with my family.

Edward and Alice sat on the sofa with Emmett holding Rose in his lap beside them. Esme and Carlilse sat on a loveseat across from us while Leah and I sat in another loveseat. I sat upright, never uncomfortable, while Leah sat to my right. She was turned slightly toward me, leaning back, with both legs over my right leg. My hand skimmed her jean-clad thighs absent-mindedly as we all watched _Paranormal Activity 2_ in dark silence.

I could feel Leah's desire spike the smallest bit everytime my hand crept up and then she seemed to sigh in relief as it went back toward her knee. Finally, aggravated with my teasing, she clasped her left hand in my right and interlaced our fingers. Her hot hand was smaller than anyone would suspect a werewolf's to be. Her thumb traced over my knuckles and she leaned further into me.

Her love and affection and desire, both imprint-forced and chosen, washed over me in tides. I felt my heart swell and threaten to implode with her emotions. Adding my own to hers, it wasn't something I could take. We were still newly mated, and everyone knew that new mates were attached at the hips for the first few years.

So I stood up in the middle of the movie. Everyone glanced to us curiously, Carlilse pausing the movie quickly. "Should we wait on you?" he asked, the confusion he felt probably from wondering what I could possible need to do right at that minute. It wasn't like vampires needed bathroom breaks. And then I pulled Leah up with me and they understood.

"I'm guessing that's a no." Emmett chuckled. "Maybe you should turn the volume up, actually."

Leah only looked confused for a moment before smiling slightly despite her blush, obviously understanding. Edward groaned, Emmett , Carlilse, and Esme chuckled, and Alice and Rosalie smirked. Leah...Leah giggled breathlessly and her desire shot up and smothered her embarassement as she looked up into my eyes.

We were in my room in seconds.

**Leah's POV**

Never in my life had I felt so happy.

Not even before my father had died and I was in love with Sam. I never felt complete and comfortable in my skin. Never so deliriously happy that I smiled this often.

Yes, I would love for my father to still be alive. That was the only thing that could make my life completely perfect. But nothing's perfect and I guess that was the flaw in my life. Jasper, though, everything with him was perfect.

I liked to think I wasn't like the other imprinted wolves. Yes, I got that dopey look whenever he was around, and yes, I felt a pull to him. But I consciously forced myself to seek out flaws in him.

He was too quiet sometimes, almost submissive. He let the others do whatever they wanted even though he could totally kick their asses...I think it was mostly just not caring though. He used to tease his hair into this wierd afro, I think because Alice styled his hair, but I got into him wearing it down around his face in soft waves...much better. He looked stiff and in pain whenever too many emotions hit him, although I'd only seen it a few times, like when we first met and when there were lots of people around like at Carlisle and Esme's anniversary. A nice makeout session loosened him up. He smelled very sweet for a man, but it wasn't sickly like the other vamps in his family. I got used to all of their stenches.

Wierd how, no matter the flaws I picked out, I loved him for his flaws too. And that wasn't the imprinting. The imprinting shouldn't allow me to see flaws. I just loved him so much that I loved everything that made him who he was, the aggravating parts and all.

Stroking cold fingers up my arm, I felt cool lips press into my temple. "What are you thinkin bout darlin?" he whispered, letting his drawl out.

I loved that southern twang in his voice. It sent shivers down my spine everytime.

"Mmmm...I know what you're thinkin of now."

I chuckled slightly, pushing my heated body into his cool one. I was slightly sweaty from our love-marathon and I wondered if it repulsed him. Trailing a hand along his stomach, following the dusting of blonde hair from his belly button to his dick, I sighed and wrapped my hand around him. He sure as hell didn't seem to mind my sweaty body if his readyness was anything to go by.

"I'm forcing myself to think through the imprint. Of how I really feel for you." I told him truthfully, beginning to stroke him slowly.

It was wierd how soft his skin could feel when I knew it felt like rock to humans. Then again, my skin probably felt damn tough to them too.

He arched off the bed a little, groaning and pressing himself further into my hand. "And how do you feel?" he groaned. I rubbed my legs together, trying to ease the tension. The increasing ache that his sounds of pleasure caused.

I smiled slightly, moving to sit up a little and press kisses to his pale chest. "I feel...grateful...for the imprint...otherwise...I never would have ...given you...a chance." I replied between kisses. I sit up to look into his eyes, speeding up my strokes. His eyes were heavy-lidded with desire but he kept my gaze. "I'd never have looked at you as anything more than a vampire...the enemy. I never would have found my mate." I leaned in, connecting my lips with his and kissing him passionately. My teeth nibbled at his bottom lip just as I felt his cool fingers slid along the wet flesh between my legs. I whimpered pitifully as two fingers entered me, pumping with all his vamp speed was worth. He'd only barely started when I whispered, "I love you.", causing him to grunt out his completion a millisecond before I screamed out my own climax.


	33. Just passing through

When I first passed through this area, it was just that. To pass through. And then we'd smelt the traces.

Traces of our kind. Old and new trails, but all the same seven scents. A coven. But what really caught my attention was the familiarity of one of those scents.

As a tracker, my scent was far elevated above others. Even other vampires. But for the life of me I couldn't place it. It was familiar, but not. So as I ran with Victoria and Laurent, I'd continued to sniff, trying to decipher that scent.

And then I'd caught a whiff of something else. At first whiff, it was mildly displeasing. The opposite of a vampire.

Instead of sweet and cold and crisp, it was spicy and hot and musky. But like I said, my sense of smell was greater than most. I could smell beneath the musk and spice. It was wild, it was the trees and the ocean and the night air. Cold water and crisp leaves. Ripe fruit and sweet honey.

And it didn't provoke my thirst. As good as flowers smelled, you didn't eat them. That was the only thing that it had in common with a vampire scent.

The closer we came to the beginning of the trails, the stronger they got. The vampire scents, and that amazing unknown stopped suddenly at a river. Never crossed. On the other side of that river, were different scents.

Like the unknown scent, they didn't rouse my hunger. They were musky and spicy and wild, but they were more pungent. Too much. The musk was so thick it was like wet dog. The musk was so thick it was hard to smell beyond it. They were the same as the delicious scent I'd discovered, but they were different somehow too.

Victoria and Laurent didn't seem as interested in the smells after I'd revealed my plan to stay until we solved the mystery. Still, I was the leader and they obeyed.

It only took a day or so, sitting stock still in the cover of the trees, to start the unraveling.

A large wolf...and I mean _large_ because they were twice or three times the size of a large human...came troting through the trees casually. Sniffing, tracking our scents. It was led to my tree. It glanced up and locked eyes and I had no doubt that it was no mere wolf.

And then it howled.

And I may be no wolf, but even I could tell what that howl meant. It was a signal, an alarm, a call for backup.

I was hopping to the next tree, dropping to the ground, and smiling evily at the large brown creature in seconds.

It's teeth pulled back in a snarl and although I didn't drink from filthy animals, I was angry at it busting my hiding spot anyway. So I dove for it.

And it repelled me. Not only the scent, which clicked into my mind suddenly, fitting with one of the nine trails I had picked up, but the heat. When I touched it, the heat shocked me. It felt like touching fire. And while it couldn't kill me with its heat, couldn't even hurt me, the heat was like a subconscious warning. Death.

I'd only just thought this when the thing snapped its mouth around my leg. The shock that it's teeth didn't splinter on impact was only for a moment. And then came the pain.

Being a vampire, feeling pain was very rare. Only another vampire or fire could harm us. And now this...thing... was biting me. HURTING me.

I reacted wildly, flailing out in panic. It was thrown off and crashed into a tree. The tree broke and the wolf just jumped right back up.

I heard a howl in the distance but there were more stampeding feet even closer than that. Backup was more than one.

Fuck. NINE. I'd smelled nine of those scents. There were nine of these huge monsters with the ability to kill us.

I ran.

I'm not the type to run usually. Never, actually. That was Victoria's gig. I liked to fight. To track and hunt my prey. Scare them into running so I can chase. The thrill, the chase, the catch, the kill. I loved it all.

But not when I was the one running, being chased. Definitely not when I was the one being caught.

And as soon as I hit that creek, where the wolf scents stopped and vamp scents started, they all slid to a stop. I looked back, still running, and then stopped warily.

They growled...there were six at the time...and snarled and stamped big feet, but they didn't move to follow. I glanced down at the creek, thinking furiously, and it clicked. This wasn't there territory anymore.

The large black wolf turned to the smaller, tall sandy wolf and growled. Another howl, longer and louder and almost breaking my ear drums. The sandy wolf nodded as if it understood, only interesting me further, and then it sprung across the creek. I stumbled back in shock, once again.

The others made no move to come and help, as if they physically could not. Why then, was this wolf special, I wondered.

And then I heard more paws running. Faster than any of the others. Lighter. Only one set. I was moving, the sandy wolf and I circling one another, when the wolf emerged. It was smaller than the others which was no surprise by the sounds of the footsteps, and it was leaner, somehow sleeker. And that smell...the unknown smell I'd found with the vampire scents. Even now, the vampire scent clung to it. A pet, perhaps? I could understand finding such a large and wierdly intelligent wolf, with the power to harm even vampires, and wanting to keep it. A growl ripped through its throat when it saw me, bringing my attention back to the situtioni, and then another was aimed at the black wolf. Angry.

The black wolf growled back. Impatient and irritated.

The sandy wolf growled. Indignant. I could tell almost as well as hearing the tone of voice when someone spoke. This was getting more and more fascinating.

A dark brown wolf, not the first I'd seen since it was a tad lighter and less beefy, growled loudly. Authoritive. Chiding, almost.

The small gray wolf wasn't standing for it. Even as it moved to me and entered the circling game I was engaged in, it continued growling at the black wolf.

"Leah!" someone called. I turned, keeping my body in position to fight and my eyes on the wolves even as I looked out of the corner of my eye.

A tall, blonde vampire came through the trees. He had scars over his face and neck, wavy hair to his chin, and a slight southern twang in his voice. He looked worried. The little grey wolf growled at him. Almost a warning sound. Don't come near me? Be careful of this guy? I wasn't sure what the growl meant.

"Shouldn't growl at your master, little wolf." I purred mockingly. It growled at me. This day kept getting more and more amusing.

Until he hissed. The vampire hissed at _me, _not his misbehaving pet. The wolf growled at him again. "I'm not leaving you, Leah." he replied, as if speaking with the wolf. It whimpered. "I am less likely to be hurt than _you_." It growled again, aggravated, and nodded toward the gangly sandy wolf beside it. The vampire nodded. "Seth, Leah wants you to go back to the other side of the river."

And then the most amazing thing happened. The sandy wolf growled, aggravated, and then jumped onto its back legs. I immediately prepared to be pounced on. But then it started to blur and twist and shiver. And then it wasn't a wolf. It was a man.

No, not a man. It looked like a young, buff man, but the youthful eyes and dimples made me think it was a boy. I was stunned.

The small wolf made a wierd noise in its throat and suddenly all the wolves were barking and growling.

"I can look after myself, okay! Sam told me to come and fight him because I'm the only one allowed across the treaty line except Leah." the boy was complaining.

All the wolves on the other side had became human now and they were screaming and telling the boy to 'phase' and kill me. I was just so stunned, I wasn't sure what to do. I had seen werewolves...Children of the Moon...they did not look like this when they changed forms and they only changed forms once every month.

And finally, I snapped out of my trance, when the small wolf started to blur.

I'd heard them saying Leah. I knew that it was obviously a female name. I knew that some werewolves were female, so it shouldn't have shocked me that whatever this species was had women. But it did.

I was not prepared to set eyes on the beautiful, supple tanned flesh of Leah. I was not prepared for the flowing midnight black of her hair or the dark brown of her eyes. I wasn't prepared for her fierce beauty or her feral grace. I wasn't prepared for the blonde vampire to be pulling her into his embrace protectively.

If I had, I would have been prepared for the dark desire that filled me. For what? I wasn't sure yet. But this was way too good to pass up.

Leah the wolf would be my next target. I wasn't sure if she'd by next catch or my next kill, but whatever she would be, she would be mine.


	34. Jasper's dread

**Jasper's POV**

Life had settled down again. It had been three weeks since I'd met Leah. The newness and the drama with our relationship, seemed to have settled. We'd fought, had sex, and she'd got the approval of everyone in my family for different reasons. She'd met some of our extended friends and family and ignored their derisive remarks about her stench without freaking out. She'd fit into my life pretty easily.

Things had changed. Leah would be waiting when I got home from school. We spent lots of time together and I felt happier than I ever had.

Some things hadn't changed though. Bella Swan still came by every other day in tears and acting pathetic until Rosalie, Leah, or both would send her packing.

My family were opening up to my new mate and seeing Alice with Edward brought me a sense of deep satisfaction. Maybe I'd always be a little wary about trusting them with personal things, but I trusted both with my life and I cared deeply for each and wanted to be happy.

Edward and Alice had always been close, even before they mated. Now, they were almost ridiculous with how much they were together. They were best friends and lovers and mates and EVERYTHING to each other. Now I understood how unhealthy my relationship with Alice had been.

Yes, I'd been content for the most part, and I'd loved her and still did. But I wasn't IN love with her anymore and wasn't sure how long since I was. But even if Leah meant everything to me, she wasn't the only person in my life like I Alice had been.

The love I felt for Leah was the same passionate, consuming, never-lessening, true love that Alice and Edward, Carlisle and Esme, or Emmett and Rosalie felt. We were mated. Vampires can never fall out of love with their true mates. It's a fact. But I wasn't Alice or Edward and I wasn't completely happy with only one person in my life.

I couldn't tell Leah everything. No matter how many people say your lover should be your best friend, that isn't realistic. I don't want my mate to be my best friend. I want someone to talk about Leah with. And that's become Emmett.

I'm not stupid. I'm an empath. So I know Edward, being the more serious, would have seemed to more obvious pick. But I'm not prudish like Edward and even if I'm too respectful to say what Emmett says in mixed company, I'm still a man and I still agree with most of the things he says. Edward always felt more fondness for Emmett and Alice then I or Rosalie, even if he loved us as siblings too. Now that he has Alice, he doesn't seem to want or need anyone else nor does Alice seem to need anyone else.

Emmett, however, started hanging with me more often when Rosalie and Leah hit it off so well. We often hunted as a double date or all hung out together. I can honestly say, my life feels complete. With parents, siblings, a best friend, and a mate...it's all I ever wanted.

We were sitting on the large sofa in the livingroom of our house. Leah was on the cushion to my left, but turned so her feet were stretched over my lap. My hands were resting on her knees as I beat the living shit out of Emmett at Halo. Rosalie was lying over Emmett's lap on her stomach, painting Leah's toenails a deep blue color. My nose was closed off to keep from inhaling the polish fumes and all other senses were trained on the television. A feeling of peace and contentment came from both ladies and excitement was buzzing from Emmett. I felt completely relaxed and happy in my own home.

Suddenly, Rose sat up and Leah's head whipped around looking toward the door. Alarm and curiousity flared from Rose but Leah was pumped with anger, adrenaline, and nervousness. The game was paused and we could clearly hear snarling. Then a howl rose up and before I could really register that it was a gathering call, Leah was out of the door. I heard clothes rip and hopped up.

By the time I raced to the porch, I could see clothes lying shredded in the yard and a large grey wolf darting through the trees. "Rose, get some clothes for when Leah returns. Emmett, where is Esme?"

Edward and Alice had went into town shopping most likely, Carlisle was at work, but Esme was unaccounted for and I wanted to make sure she wasn't the trouble that the wolves were having. "Went to help out at the hospital." he answered.

I nodded, zipping off after my mate.

My protective instincts flared up when I met her at the treaty line. The whole pack stood on the other side, her brother and her circling a dirty-blonde vampire with blazing red eyes. I was so focused on his emotions, I didn't pay much attention to the pack communicating.

Seth shifted into his human form, followed by most of the pack as they yelled at him to shift back. Then Leah shifted and I growled lowly in my throat.

She was exposed in front of her pack and this stranger, and while I knew it happened alot, I didn't like feeling how they felt about it. Before I could pretend it was natural or even clinical but I couldn't deny the sudden spike of arousal and wonder. Then I felt it.

Coming from the vampire. He was aroused, surprised, in wonder even, but his dominating emotion was a dark and fierce possessiveness. I hurriedly enfolded Leah in my arms, trying to comfort her even though rationally I knew she couldn't know of his unholy desire to own her. She allowed me to shield her anyway and I felt his rage spike.

I turned as I heard his sudden running, amazed and shocked to see him hurrying away. The pack departed, running alongside him but on their own territory. I knew he wouldn't cross, he didn't seem stupid enough. Seth, though, stayed behind. He ran off into the trees and I could hear him dressing. I hurriedly unbuttoned my oxford shirt and offered it to my mate to cover herself.

When Seth returned, he wore only shorts while Leah only had a shirt. "Can you believe it, sis?" Seth asked excitedly. "Our first cold one! This is gonna be so awesome!"

Leah herself was a little more worried, but her adrenaline and excitement almost matched her brother's. As we walked back to the house, the wolves talking about their first chance at killing a human-killing vamp, I was overwhelmed with a sense of dread. For once, I was 200 percent sure that it was all from me.


	35. Deliberation

**Leah's POV**

Seth and I were seated in the large, shiny kitchen at the Cullen Mansion/Crypt. Esme, the master chef, loved to cook even though she couldn't eat and since she didn't have reason to do it often before, she plied me with food now.

I was always hungry and ate much more than an average person, so she had her hands full mothering me. Breakfast, morning snack, lunch, mid-day snack, dinner, dessert, midnight snack...the woman was relentless. I loved it.

She loved it even more. Especially when my brother tagged along.

We were sitting at the dining table, Seth and I stuffing our faces with salad and garlic bread and chicken fettucine, while listening to the rest of the family discussing our 'problem'.

I wanted to roll my eyes. Jasper had been freaked out, not visibly of course but his version of freaking out, about the rogue blonde vamp that had passed by a few days ago. I could see where the possessiveness and anger came in, because by what Jasper said the guy had fixated on me, but I wasn't sure why he was even worried about the guy.

"There is one of him and like eight of us...plus the pack." I interrupted after swallowing the food in my mouth. "I mean, yeah, we should be on the lookout and not be caught out alone but with all of us, I don't see why we're making this huge deal of it." I didn't miss the small smile that spread over Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle's faces when I included myself as one of them.

"Leah, one vampire is all it takes." Edward spoke up, looking my way. "He could contact the Volturri and make problems because of our treaty with the wolves. They're take it as an alliance instead of a cease fire. They're already worried about the size of our coven. They think we wish to overtake them for rule over the vampire world."

For one moment, I marveled over Edward's insistence on speaking like we were still in Victorian times. Even Emmett's terrible slang usage was better, but I shook my head. Now wasn't the time. "Why would you want to rule the vamp world when you all hate being vampires? I mean, even Emmett, who loves it, doesn't eat humans which is bound to piss off other vamps. You'd have to kill all vampires before they'd actually bide by the kinds of rules Carlisle would set. And I may not know everything about you guys but I know enough that Esme, Carlisle and Edward would feel personally responsible for every human killed by any vampire ever if they were the disciplinarians for them."

"It doesn't really matter that we don't want to take over. They _believe_ that we do. It's enough incentive for them to try anything for a reason to take us out." Rosalie added.

"I thought having an Alpha sucked." I groaned.

Seth nodded in agreement. "That's one dude, that we can go to the Council to veto, if he doesn't command us not to. Not that they could actually _force _him to stop, really. If Sam hadn't had respect for the Council, he could have ignored them and commanded us to also. Damn, I'm glad Sam's half crazy."

I snorted. "Jacob wouldn't have let it go too far. He would have-"

"Jacob already let it go too far." Jasper and Seth said together, a hiss and a growl blending together. I smiled at them both.

"Even if he'd never stopped them, one of us would have eventually discovered that if we stopped viewing him as our Alpha and chose another, they _became_ the Alpha. I'm glad it's Jared. He's always been more calm but with enough heart too."

Rosalie gave me a pointed look. "Can we get back to the evil vamp after our favorite she-wolf?"

I scoffed. "Fine fine. Still though, just one dude."

"He could have a coven. Most vampires are nomadic, some alone, some with a mate, and some with a coven. We have no way of knowing what he is and how many are in his coven."

"Oh...well, Quil said he smelled two more really faint vamp scents on that dude."

The entire table turned to stare at Seth. I just nodded. "We don't get cool empathic or telepathic powers and definitely no visions but some of us are...more enhanced in one way or another."

"Leah is the very fastest of us all and since wolves are faster than vamps, she's probably like the fastest being on the planet." Seth answered. Ridiculously, I could feel a blush rising in my cheeks. "Embry is right behind her. Jacob is the strongest, because of his Alpha blood, but Sam and Quil are strong too because the Uleys and Atearas are strong lines. Clearwaters are strong lines themselves but since Leah is a chick and I'm one of the youngest, I've probably got another year or so. Jared has the best eyesight, I have the best hearing, and Quil has the best nose. Paul is the best fighter when strength doesn't count, but that's not his line just him."

"Quil, who never even got close enough to touch him, could distinguish two other scents on him? I thought our scent burnt your noses?" Carlilse asked, looking fascinated. Like I hadn't wrote these things in the journal I'd given him.

"They do." Seth replied, smirking. I rolled my eyes. "At first, it's instinctive. When I first smelt it, my stomach rolled and my mind was just _killkillkill_ you know? But the longer I was around you, I guess my wolf was less threatened and it settled down, but the smell does still burn. You get used to it. It's not like gross, like death or anything, it's like sniffing bleach. Where your eyes water and your nose stings. It sucks but...we adjust just like you adjust to smelling pee anywhere you go or eating something when you can smell the grease in it twenty times easier."

"I wonder how your abilites compare to ours." Carlisle responded. "Would you be able to take this rogue down on your own?"

"In human form, he could take me easily. I'm like twenty times stronger than a human now but when I'm phased it's like five times stronger than I am now. I can break trees if I run into them. Lift cars, yadayadayada."

"Your speed?"

"Uhh..."

"I've ran 100 miles in 58 minutes." I interrupted.

"That takes me about the same time." Edward spoke, sounding amazed. "Maybe a minute or two more, acutally. I've never met anyone that was ever faster than me."

"We'll have to race sometime." I told him.

"That same distance would take the rest of us about ten or fifteen minutes more." Seth told them.

"And about twenty for us." Carlilse added. "So you'll be safe around this vampire as long as he doesn't have some dangerous ability we're unaware of."

"He's a tracker." Edward said suddenly, his body rigid and his face neutral but I could somehow see the worry and anger too. And disgust.

"How do you know?" Jasper whispered quickly.

"Because he's outside." the ginger answered. "Three miles east, he's unaware of how many are in the coven and our gifts. He has his coven with him. Two...a dark-skinned man with dreadlocks and a redheaded woman...his mate. He's the leader. He wants Leah. He..."

"He what?" I asked, impatiently.

"He doesn't want to kill you." Edward replied, his face revolted.

"Then what?"

"He's fascinated by your wolf form. He wants you as a pet. He plans to kill Jasper and take you. Maybe even to kill your pack if it comes to that. It's the only reason he brought backup. He's very secure in his fighting abilities to take Jasper down and subdue you."

I stood quickly, angry. "Well, that's where he's fucked up." My mind whirled with possibilities. "What about the others?"

"Laurent...the black man. He isn't as cruel as the others but not kind either. He is a frontman, but only for show. Nothing special. Victoria will do anything to please her mate. She has an uncanny ability to escape any situation."

"So let's go!" Emmett crowed, standing as well. He was rearing for a fight. "We can take this dude down."

"It's not James I'm worried about." Edward started. "He's a threat, yes, but..."

"Victoria is the biggest risk." Jasper finished.

"It would still be easier to take one out then none." I argued. "Less trouble later."

"Look, I-"

"Don't worry! I have a plan! Meet out front." I yelled, racing from the house and phasing before they could stop me.


	36. The Plan

**Edward's POV**

Jasper reacted instantly, speeding off after his love, while I turned to catch eyes with Alice. She was already racing to make for the door as well so I followed.

We passed the ripped remains of Leah's clothes on the ground in the clearing as we followed her and Jasper's scents into the forest. More ripping sounded behind us and Seth breezed past us where I was staying back to keep pace with Alice. I could hear Leah ahead of us, tearing through the foliage with the crashing sounds of a wild buffalo in a china shop. She was not trying to be quiet at all and that was only more obvious when she howled loudly enough to make me flinch.

Seth's howl, understandably deeper, soon joined hers and I could tell that he was only feet away from her, running ahead of us by a good forty feet.

I could hear the vile, perverse thoughts of the rogue...James...as he realized that the wolves were coming and he identified Leah's scent in his head. His companions were both more wary, their worry increasing as another howl, about a mile ahead of me but obviously on the other side of them from where they could hear Leah.

A fourth howl went up, further away and then a chorus, all over the place as all ten members came to the calling howl Leah had let out. I only allowed myself to be fascinated by the action and it's response for a moment before I was tuning into the many minds around me, marvelling once again at the Pack Mind. It was wonderful to hear other people that could read each other's minds, even if it wasn't at all times. The way they shared feelings and thoughts and completed one another's sentences. The way their minds had simplified and their instincts sharpened beyond what they had been even in human form.

_That fucking scum is back? Jesus-_

_When will he learn?_

_What's he want...oh, you..._

_Hell no! We're not-_

_...letting him do anything to you, Leah..._

_Don't worry about anything, Lee-lee_

_Shut the fuck up, Sam!_

_...know she hates that man! Why-_

_We don't have time to be fighting, right now.._

_Circle east and come from the rear..._

_I'll come in from the south and trap them-_

_-edhead is the risk-_

_Did the leeches tell you that?_

_Shut up! They're good people-_

_...know what they're talking about too, Paul, so get over it..._

_...you're our fastest runners so you go for her-_

_-fucking way! I want the asshole that's after me!_

_Leah, we need you to go after the highest risk!_

_Fine, damnit! But I want last strike on the perv, too..._

_...we'll save him for you..._

Their minds were tumbling over and weaving around one another flawlessly, everything simple but four or five conversations going on at once that all of them were paying attention to and popping from one to another. They had a way of attack, assigned members to each vampire, and were bantering and complaining all at once. The overwhelming protectiveness itself was breath-taking and I would be remiss to not admit my awe everytime I saw one of the magnificent beasts, no matter how many times I thought of Jacob as nothing more than a dog. That had been jealousy more than anything, anyway.

By the time we all arrived in the clearing, the wolves were circling in and James wasn't looking so confident anymore. No fighting had even started when Victoria, the redheaded escape artist, was flipping and dodging and then climbing a tree before taking off. "Rose, go with them!" Carlisle shouted as Embry and Leah took off, staying on the ground under the trees she was leaping under. "They can't climb without phasing!"

Rosalie huffed indignantly but followed after quickly enough, leaving six wolves (It seemed they'd left the two thirteen year olds home) and six vampires to face off against the two. Tracking didn't help much when what you were targeting was seperated from you by twelve beings with the same strength as you, or more in Emmett's case.

James' mind was more enraged then fearful so when Jasper engaged him in a fight, he was sloppier than usual. I wondered briefly while Jasper was ripping his head from his body, murderous and monsterous sneer in place, if being cooler headed would have kept him in the fight for longer. It wouldn't have kept him alive, but maybe it would have prolonged his death.

The darker man with dreadlocks, Laurent as his mind supplied, tried to placate. Carlisle may have fallen for it and let him go in the name of peace but we all knew that once we'd called the wolves out for help that they'd take this man as being under their jurisdiction. I could feel Carlisle's hesitation to let them do it, thinking maybe he should step in, his sympathy for all creatues rearing up. But he didn't try to stop the wolves because we all knew it needed to be done.

He was a human drinker and a risk, especially if he felt vengeful for our killing of his coven. We couldn't afford to spare him and him run off to the Volturri or another coven to return and hunt us. And the wolves weren't even _that_ lenient. In their eyes, he'd signed his death warrant when he showed his ruby eyes.

So I tried to detach myself, watched in morbid fascination along with my father, as the wolves circled him slowly. My own family backed away as they tightened in around the man. He had a fleeting thought to run but the scenarios in his head of him running and being taken down as he fleed didn't appeal to him. He didn't have much more time to contemplate though as I heard the bloodthirsty pack's thoughts. They were taunting and scheming in their mind until finally Jared struck out to take a chunk from his stomach, Paul coming out next to rip from his leg. It was like they were having a meal in the wild, where wolves ate in order of their rank. Once the Beta and Alpha had went, the pack struck out all over until he was nothing more than bite sized pieces.

"Kibble n' Bits." Emmett gasped out between sudden laughter. Seth let out a rumbling chuffing sound that I took to be laughter and then there was a naked Jared standing among us, easy as you please. I ducked my head in embarassment, looking away as he strode forward and pulled a lighter from the pocket of a pair of shorts tied to his leg. The peices were all nudged together, into a pile by the wolves as the lighter was struck and the marbled pieces went up in purple flames.

"Yo, sis! Jasper took him out before we could tell him you wanted the last go!" Seth called out. It took me a moment to realize it had been aloud and not him calling to her in their minds. My head whipped around, eyes widening because all of them were naked now and just standing there.

I could hear Embry and Leah then, the sound of human footsteps and dragging and I remembered Seth saying he had the best hearing and must have heard them. The two came out of the woods then, Leah's hand clutching a shock of riotous red curls as Embry heaved the rest of the body behind him by the leg. Both were nude as well and I couldn't help but shuffle awkwardly at all the thoughts racing around. Jasper's possessiveness despite the fact they had clearly not been doing anything sexual, Alice's embarassed musings, and especially the awe and appreciation from Emmett and Rosalie.

"That's fine, I guess." Leah answered, flashing a grin at my blonde brother as she tossed Victoria's head into the fire. "Night, Vicki." she murmured, going to Jasper.

"Well...that's all I guess." Jared finished, pushing the lighter back into the pocket on his leg.

"Thanks, Jare." she replied.

"No problem. We're pack." he answered, seamlessly phasing and running off.

Paul winked Leah's way lewdly. "Later, She-wolf."

"I'm telling Rachel!" Leah laughed back at him.

Paul only laughed as he took off, looking like he would dive headfirst into the ground before he phased suddenly and his arms became front legs, landing gracefully and sprinting away.

"Lee-lee-"

"Bye Sam." she dismissed. "Race you back, Eddo." I stood there, a little stunned as she and Seth took off. I guess I just hadn't expected her plan to actually work.


End file.
